Week 28 – 08 July 2022
#01 👩🔬💧⚗️ | beyond the ‘green hydrogen’ fad.
NEOM is the special economic zone being developed in Saudi Arabia. It is being built from the ground up and aside from the existing technology infrastructure of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Last month, NEOM announced partnerships with McLaren Formula E and Extreme E, ‘NEOM McLaren Electric Racing’ was born. ENOWA is an energy, water and hydrogen company owned by NEOM and will now develop technologies for 100% renewable energy. This isn’t a marketing and naming deal. It isn’t name rights as such… it is a multi-year technology partnership
When communities, organizations and governments are committed to renewable energy and sustainability, budgets come from Strategy, Research & Development sources (not from PR, Marketing or Sales… no offense).
In less than 300 years, Humans have warmed the planet with hydrocarbons to levels that are dangerous to our viability in our home planet. It will take technological breakthroughs, time to heal habitats and a better understanding of biological systems to create linear and exponential remediation. Planetary harmony isn’t a consequence of technological breakthroughs, it also requires to reimagine the relationships of people, acceptance of multiculturalism, diversity, inclusion and reparations.
We have a biological imperative to solve it all. Shall we wish to remain.
#02 🦻🫶🧏 | sign language soup.
With 2.4M people who have a hearing access need in Mexico, La Moderna, a prominent food manufacturer in the country of 129M inhabitants, launched an awareness and sensibility campaign and a new product range in early June 2022.
Enabling new experiences through familiar interfaces can have valuable outcomes from increased empathy, sensitivity, new norm forming, removing stereotypes and it can all be done with an element of play.
#03 🐄🧀👨🏾💻 | p-chip micro-transponder.
Almost half of the $4.35bn parmesan cheese sold in the world is fake. To address this, the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano (CFPR) has introduced food safe labels along with a p-chip micro transponder (dubbed ‘a blockchain crypto-anchor’). Such combination will sidestep the counterfeit manufacturers and create full traceability on the production chain, supply chain and end consumer delivery.
“By integrating p-Chip micro transponders into Casein tags, CFPR can better control its inventory, protect and differentiate its products against look and sound-alike brands and have access to unmatchable track-and-trace technology to protect itself in the case of recalls or other issues.”
Mathematical solutions that thwart counterfeit food can also be applied to critical medical supplies, medicines and compounds. As the technology is tested and becomes the baseline for an industry, the network effects can create new data insights and services based on the hundreds of thousands of chips, transponders, sensors, etc.
#04 🪫🥵🌞 | heatwave- resistant batteries.
Over 500 families that live across The Navajo Nation have solar panels and renewables to power their homes and farm operations (this means that over 15,000 residents live without grid-supplied electricity). As temperatures soar past 50C in the summer time, battery chemistries are challenging to operate and they fail.
Urban Electric Power (NY-USA) has developed an alkaline battery that can operate as such temperatures and completely replace problematic lead-acid batteries and more affordable than the lithium options on the market.
Climate Adaptation requires us to change our approach to energy use and energy security. Not all battery chemistries work the same way around the globe, Lithium chemistries operate well in temperate climates, but it is an opportunity to derive solutions for arid, desert and predominantly warm areas that require ingenuity and innovation to electrify and decarbonize infrastructure without emissions.
#05 👨🌾 🥦☕️ | direct indigenous farmer coffee subscriptions.
From her farm and the farms of his neighbors, Ervin Liz, a third generation Indigenous farmer in Colombia, connects coffee farmers directly with consumers via subscription delivery.
When eCommerce platforms are democratized, producer-to-consumer relationships can be made and a restorative approach to fair trade and fair pricing can keep farmers caring and cultivating the land. When this bond is strengthened and the old guard is disintermediated, an opportunity to maximize market mechanisms presents itself to provide autonomy, self-determination, cultural development, decolonization and ongoing prosperity for hyperlocal impact.
#06 🤰🕵️♀️🏥 | digital breadcrumbs & privacy.
Engadget’s essential 5 minute recap of what is happening with Data Brokers and inferences made by your offline and online activity. The data is easily traded, sold, auctioned and syphoned to unknown actors and could be misconstrued in the judicial system. A must watch.
#07 🚚📦🚴 | e-Cargo bikes reshaping deliveries.
eCommerce giant Amazon has begun rolling out its e-cago bike solution for zero emissions micro mobility and last kilometer delivery in London. The vehicles sidestep congestion charges and enable access to narrow and historical neighborhoods.
The first of Amazon’s micromobility stations comes in partnership with the London borough of Hackney and it is hoped over a million deliveries annually can be made using micromobility forms. Combined with the fleet of electric vans five million deliveries a year will cover 10% of London’s Ultra Low Emissions zone.
Meanwhile, in New York City, UPS is testing battery-powered quad bikes that are narrow enough (34”) to use bike lanes and pedestrian lanes. With such changes, UPS plans to drastically reduce not only emissions, but city parking tickets that totaled $23M USD in New York City last year alone.
#08 🚙 🔋🔌 | ICE sale freeze in UK
Two weeks ago, at the beginning of July 2022, automaker Fiat (parent company is Stellantis) stopped selling internal combustion vehicles in the United Kingdom. From now on, all vehicles sold will be electric.
"This step in Fiat’s history marks a pivotal point in our commitment to providing affordable and sustainable mobility solutions for all of our customers. The move lends itself to our vehicles which are suited to urban areas, spearheaded by the popularity of the New 500.”
— Fiat and Abarth UK Managing Director Greg Taylor
#09 👵🛒🧑⚕️ | grocery deliveries for elderly.
Avanlee Care & Walmart have teamed up for groceries & necessities deliveries for elderly Americans. Their aim is to provide this service to the 90% of retirees who aren’t moving to a retirement facility in their latter years.
Avanlee combines care coordination, medication adherence, health and mood monitoring and alerts, private family social activity, a rich "Ask Avanlee'' customer support experience, and now grocery fulfillment powered by Walmart.
#10 🦣❄️🗻 | Pristine Baby Woolly Mammoth.
Gold prospectors in the Yukon found the remains of an almost perfectly preserved 30,000 year old Baby Woolly Mammoth.
She has her skin, her tiny tusk nubs, her toenails, and her little tail. She still has tufts of fur, and her trunk—with its prehensile tip—is complete and malleable.
As the planet warms, we will loose unimaginable records of fossils or beings frozen in time. Permafrost is becoming unstable globally and it is uncertain how many salvageable remains scientists and First Peoples will be able to save to understand our common past.