Ubuntu Studio’s positive news round-up
Ubuntu Thoughts / 5 Min read
Friday 25th March, 2022
Callum Berry
Content & Media Manager
Content & Media Manager
Hello readers! We hope you’ve all been enjoying the uncharacteristically lovely weather this week. We’re so close to that sweet, sweet Friday evening, and we’re here once again to get you through these last few hours with some positive news from the past few weeks. Let’s begin…
A billionaire’s billion dollar pledge
The general consensus is that billionaires have quite a bad reputation when it comes to climate change, however one is actually trying to make a difference; Mike Cannon-Brookes.
Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of software giant Atlassian and the third richest person in Australia, is known to be a keen supporter of the global transition to renewable energy—and a vocal critic of what he sees is a lack of action from his home land.
Frustrated with the government’s disregard of climate concerns, Cannon-Brookes believes he can make a difference. Last year, he pledged $1.5bn AUD (£848 million) in personal funds to finance nonprofits fighting climate change and invest in projects promoting clean energy.
In February of this year, he also made a bid to buy AGL, an electric company which owns three of Australia’s 16 coal plants. Even better, he did this so that he can do what the Australian government won’t: shut them down for good. If his bid is accepted, Cannon-Brookes plans to spend $20 (€17.9) billion on replacing these coal plants with renewable energy plants.
While there’s certainly questions to be raised around the ethics of billionaires existing, it’s great to see someone using that vast amount of money for good and have a modern day Robin Hood in our midsts (albeit one with a vast amount of capital behind his good deeds).
Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of software giant Atlassian and the third richest person in Australia, is known to be a keen supporter of the global transition to renewable energy—and a vocal critic of what he sees is a lack of action from his home land.
Frustrated with the government’s disregard of climate concerns, Cannon-Brookes believes he can make a difference. Last year, he pledged $1.5bn AUD (£848 million) in personal funds to finance nonprofits fighting climate change and invest in projects promoting clean energy.
In February of this year, he also made a bid to buy AGL, an electric company which owns three of Australia’s 16 coal plants. Even better, he did this so that he can do what the Australian government won’t: shut them down for good. If his bid is accepted, Cannon-Brookes plans to spend $20 (€17.9) billion on replacing these coal plants with renewable energy plants.
While there’s certainly questions to be raised around the ethics of billionaires existing, it’s great to see someone using that vast amount of money for good and have a modern day Robin Hood in our midsts (albeit one with a vast amount of capital behind his good deeds).
Innovate, elevate and appreciate
Students from Coventry University in the UK have designed a revolutionary concept to prepare for floods as a result of climate change in response to recent floods in Vietnam. Dubbed “the floating house”, the structure is attached to four anchoring steel pilings which fix the structure in one place.
Multiple recycled plastic barrels are then tied underneath the ground floor, and the walls and roof are constructed using galvanised metal sheets which give the house buoyancy.
The house can float whenever a flood approaches and offers shelter for at least six weeks during catastrophic weather events. It could be used as storage for food, water, medicine and sanitation products and is developed to enhance disaster resilience within local communities.
Globally, we’re going to have to continue to innovate and find ways to combat natural disasters as they become increasingly more frequent as a result of climate change. It’s certainly exciting to see how younger minds can bring novel ways to adapt the ways of old. Here’s to more innovation in the coming years.
Multiple recycled plastic barrels are then tied underneath the ground floor, and the walls and roof are constructed using galvanised metal sheets which give the house buoyancy.
The house can float whenever a flood approaches and offers shelter for at least six weeks during catastrophic weather events. It could be used as storage for food, water, medicine and sanitation products and is developed to enhance disaster resilience within local communities.
Globally, we’re going to have to continue to innovate and find ways to combat natural disasters as they become increasingly more frequent as a result of climate change. It’s certainly exciting to see how younger minds can bring novel ways to adapt the ways of old. Here’s to more innovation in the coming years.
Gunning for growth
This might be one of the coolest stories we’ve covered in PNR to-date! Biodiversity loss isn’t the most thrilling topic, however one Australian start up has combined technological innovation with a passion for the environment—with awesome results.
Using a fleet of highly advanced ‘octocopters’ (drones), AirSeed Technology is fighting deforestation by combining artificial intelligence with specially designed seed pods which can be fired into the ground from high in the sky. "Each of our drones can plant over 40,000 seed pods per day and they fly autonomously," says Andrew Walker, CEO and co-founder.
Before takeoff, each drone is loaded with specially selected seed pods compatible with the habitat below. The pods are manufactured using waste biomass, providing a carbon rich coating that protects the seeds from birds, insects and rodents. "The niche really lies in our biotech, which is the support system for the seed once it's on the ground," says Walker.
We can see this type of innovation changing the game for re-building the world’s biodiversity and also helping to create more arable land in difficult-to-reach parts of the world. However it’s used, it’s another example of how technology is enabling us to do things we thought impossible just a few years back.
Using a fleet of highly advanced ‘octocopters’ (drones), AirSeed Technology is fighting deforestation by combining artificial intelligence with specially designed seed pods which can be fired into the ground from high in the sky. "Each of our drones can plant over 40,000 seed pods per day and they fly autonomously," says Andrew Walker, CEO and co-founder.
Before takeoff, each drone is loaded with specially selected seed pods compatible with the habitat below. The pods are manufactured using waste biomass, providing a carbon rich coating that protects the seeds from birds, insects and rodents. "The niche really lies in our biotech, which is the support system for the seed once it's on the ground," says Walker.
We can see this type of innovation changing the game for re-building the world’s biodiversity and also helping to create more arable land in difficult-to-reach parts of the world. However it’s used, it’s another example of how technology is enabling us to do things we thought impossible just a few years back.
Well that’s all from us at Ubuntu, we hope that we gave you the lift you needed to power through the last few hours of Friday! Have a great weekend, and be sure to follow our socials so you know when the next PNR comes out (every Friday).
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
Got an interesting story you’d like us to highlight? Feel free to send in your ideas to callum@ubuntustudio.co.uk and you could be featured in an upcoming PNR!
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We're not your average, run-of-the-mill creative agency. We were founded and built on a passion for helping companies do better - for themselves, for people, and for the planet.
We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more at ubuntustudio.co.uk.
We appreciate that all life on earth is under threat, so we’re using the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Reducing the negative impact on people and the planet.
If you're looking to make a change in how you market your business, we'd love to chat. Find out more at ubuntustudio.co.uk.
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