Smarter Chemistry, Cleaner Water: Carbonet's Solution to Petrochemicals in Wastewater Treatment with Amielle Lake

Welcome to another episode of Going Zero, the podcast where we dive into real-world solutions to today’s toughest sustainability challenges. Our hosts, Christy Cook, Eric Passwalk, and Seth are joined by Amielle Lake, CEO of Carbonet, a company pioneering innovative chemistry to help industries recover, reuse, and waste less water—while dramatically cutting down on fossil fuel-based chemicals.In this episode, Amielle shares her unique journey from digital marketing to sustainability entrepreneurship, and sheds light on the looming threat of global water scarcity. You’ll hear how Carbonet’s breakthrough technology is helping thousands of manufacturers, municipalities, and oil and gas operations treat wastewater more sustainably and cost-effectively—no environmental premium required.We’ll dig into why water remains an underappreciated resource, the barriers to widespread adoption of new water tech, and the challenges of shaking up a multi-billion dollar chemical “cartel.” Plus, Amielle highlights Carbonet’s real-world impact stories, talks about safety improvements for workers, and discusses her work advancing women's representation in clean tech and investing through the Women’s Equity Lab.Whether you’re a sustainability manager, a CEO, or just curious about how chemistry can help secure the future of our most vital resource, this episode will inspire you to rethink what’s possible—and the role every stakeholder can play in driving change.