environmentalism

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Adidas is Developing Solar-Powered Headphones

Andrew Orr ·

Adidas is currently developing a pair of solar-powered headphones in partnership with Exeger. Digital Trends interviewed Gustaf Rosell, chief product and innovation Officer at Zound Industries.

One of the key differences is they are powered by any light. Direct sunlight will be the strongest source, but even indoor lighting or, even better, having it close to windows will generate energy. The cells are flexible in their application and not sensitive to being shadowed in the same way as traditional solar cells.

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Is Apple’s iPhone 12 Decision Really Better for the Environment?

Andrew Orr ·

Imad Khan writes how switching to a USB-C port would be more environmental than Apple’s decision not to include a charger in the box.

And let’s not forget that Apple will still need to ship tiny Type-C power adapters across the world to accommodate the new cable included with the iPhone 12. While these new adapters will have a long shelf life, it will cut back on the emissions savings that Apple so proudly publicizes.

This is the part I agree with. What are the environmental logistics of shipping multiple lighter packages versus one heavier one?

Know Your Carbon Footprint With Carbon
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Know Your Carbon Footprint With Carbon

Andrew Orr ·

Everything we do has an effect on the planet. Research shows that we’re causing devastating damage to the planet by releasing extravagant amounts of CO2 gas into the atmosphere. The only way to jump-start the solution is to take matters into your own hands. The aim is to inform and inspire people to minimize the carbon emissions caused by their energy use. You might not see it, but thousands of pounds of CO2 are being released into the air when you use energy in your home, or drive your car to work every day. The algorithm asks you some questions about your energy lifestyle and gives you a unique carbon footprint score. It determines which power plants your energy comes from and identifies how much CO2 they produce. It also knows how much CO2 your car produces, so it tallies those up to give you a good idea of how much CO2 your energy use produces. App Store: Free

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Tree-Planting Drones Shoot the Forest Back

Andrew Orr ·

Startup Biocarbon Engineering use tree-planting drones that shoot the forest back in Myanmar and other places around the world.

The drones first fly over an area to map it, collecting data about the topography and soil condition that can be combined with satellite data and analyzed to determine the best locations to plant each seed. Then the drone fires biodegradable pods—filled with a germinated seed and nutrients—into the ground.

Invest With a Conscience With Newday Impact Investing
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Invest With a Conscience With Newday Impact Investing

Andrew Orr ·

I’ve long believed that you should choose companies you want to do business with that share the same values you do. Things like renewable energy, protecting the ocean, privacy, animal welfare, and others. When I got an email about the Newday Impact Investing app, I was genuinely delighted. It’s an investing app that lets you do just that; invest in companies with values. Every Newday Impact Portfolio is a custom-made, proprietary, and targeted investment strategy built to benefit a specific area of impact. The multi-portfolio approach allows them to provide a fully-diversified investment strategy while impacting the areas you care about directly. Portfolios include ocean health, gender equality, animal welfare, and climate action. On Newday’s website, you have to enter your phone number to get the app link, which seems sketchy and unnecessary. Use the direct App Store link instead. App Store: Newday – Free

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This Watch Wants to Curb Ocean Plastic Pollution

Andrew Orr ·

There’s a watch that wants to help curb ocean plastic pollution. Awake Watch’s mission is to prove that there is a smarter and more sustainable way to consume goods. It wants to show that it can create objects with innovative design and very high quality, while still limiting its environmental impact as much as possible. And give people the opportunity to make a difference. The fabric the company uses for the strap is made from plastic waste, which has been collected from South East Asian seas and Japan. It turns the plastic into pellets, and then into nylon yarn. It creates the straps directly from rolls of this material, which is made using no chemical dyes, and is certified by the Global Recycled Standard label. The leather straps are made by a French company that uses Italian leather tanned in a vegetable tanning process. The Kickstarter was fully funded in an hour. To get a watch, rewards start at US$229.