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Tech With Purpose News

In this week’s Tech With Purpose news summary: Carbon breathing and oxygen emitting artificial trees, Carlsberg Group and Desolenator making clean water, a new hydrogen facility in Glasgow, New York City’s first e-scooter pilot, VR And AR transforming the travel industry and remote hearings clear Supreme Court backlog.

Artificial trees that breathe in carbon and emits oxygen.

On May 19th London’s Science Museum will commence the ‘Our Future’ exhibition showcasing a series of environmental technologies, among them being the gas-harvesting Lackner artificial tree that breathes in carbon and emits oxygen.

The exhibition will centre on carbon capture, giving us the chance to see the potential of turning extracted greenhouse gases into pens, yoga mats, bottles of vodka and tubes of toothpaste. Read more here.

BlackRock and Temasek announce heavy investment partnership in decarbonisation tech venture

The partnership aims to invest in technology companies that specialise in reducing carbon emissions. With a combined $600m (£433m) the joint initiative also has a fundraising target of $1bn(£721m) with a view to raise third-party capital from investors. Read more

Greentown Labs Houston announces launch of its new climate-focused technology start-up incubator

The 40,000-square-foot facility opened its doors on Earth day April 22nd, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Houston Texas. The first wave of around 30 green energy startups will utilise the new hub in a matter of weeks. Read more here.

Water Purification in West Bengal

Multinational brewer Carlsberg Group have announced its association with Desolenator, a Netherlands-based solar desalination technology company aiming to convert saline water into clean drinkable water. Utilising its sustainable water purification technology, Desolentor will look to supply clean drinking water to 4,000 inhabitants in Sundarbans West Bengal located near Carlsberg’s Kolkata brewery. Read more here.

SottishPower plans for new Hydrogen Facility

ScottishPower has put forward plans to develop a new ‘environmentally friendly’ Hydrogen Facility near Glasgow. The subsidiary of Spanish utility Iberdrola said it will utilise the UK’s largest electrolyzer, with a view to use a 20 megawatt (MW) electrolyzer powered by a 40 MW solar farm. Read more here.

US To Track Plastic Waste With GPS

Scientists in the US are planning to place GPS devices inside plastic bottles with a view to track polluting trails down toward the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi river. The initiative was launched last Saturday aimed at highlighting the issue of pollution in the region and to gather data on how to restrict and eradicate the passage of waste. Read more here.

Digital Teaching Platform award

The new Education and Training Foundations’s (EFT) practitioner award ‘EdTech Super Contributor badge’ has been awarded to Sunderland College’s Engineering Lecturer Christopher Lindridge. The award looks for excellence in utilising the enhanced Digital Teaching Platform for the greater good of the students. During the past 12 months this platform has been vital while promoting teaching across the country. Read more here.

Venture Builder Satgana to priotiese UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Globally distributed venture Builder Satgana are investing up to €20m(£17.4M) in startups that address the UN SDGs. With this venture Capital fund they aim to build and invest across Europe.

Satgana Founder and CEO Romain Diaz has took to twitter highlighting his investment thesis in 17 Tweets no less. Diaz also announced his goal to launch 20 start-ups with a double or triple bottom-line approach in the next 5 years. Read more here.

Having a Gander at stopping food waste

Food waste reduction app Gander has been having great success in Hinckley, Stoney Stanton, Coniston Way and Attleborough. The vital scheme will now see its net broaden across Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

Gander gives us the chance to see real-time availability of reduced-to-clear products in shops near to home, vastly reducing food waste and helping keep that weekly food cost down. Read more here.

BT and AbilityNet’s Tech4Good award now open for entries

For over 10 years the co-founded Tech4Good award has celebrated the young pioneers helping to build a ‘brighter and greener future’. The award looks to recognise the individuals and organisations “who use digital tech to improve the lives of others, and make the world a better place.” Read more here.

New York New e-Scooters

New York City has approved its first e-scooter pilot. Teaming up with e-scooter businesses Lime, Bird and Veo. The New York City Department of Transportation went public with the pilot late last week aiming to roll out a combined 3,000 electric scooters across New York City. Read more here.

AR and VR helping to boost the Tourism Economy

Companies such as First Airlines have been coaxing those potential travellers out of their bubbles with immersive virtual and augmented reality travel “trips”, helping to improve the prospects of destinations that depend on tourism to survive. Read more here.

US Supreme Court Uses Video Calls To Clear The Backlog

During the Pandemic we have seen endless waiting lists and restrictions on vital services, no more so than on the justice system, an operation vital for those who need resolution and support. By using video calls the Supreme Court has vastly reduced its waiting times and cleared its backlog of cases. The annual report from the Supreme Court has shown that appeal waiting times have dropped to a historical milestone of 14 weeks. Read more here.

Here at Wellthatsinteresting we are keen to support technology companies who aspire to change the world for the better, those who can align their work towards positive progress on the UN SDGs. If you are one of them, or know someone who is, please get in touch or share your news here.

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