I was delighted this week to learn of waste heat from a data-center being used to heat a swimming pool and that it was cutting carbon emissions as well as supporting the local community in terms of a wellbeing resource whilst reducing costs.
As a sustainability professional I am pleased that the significance of climate change is hitting home and that more steps are being taken on ESG and Net Zero in terms of the regulatory framework and tangible actions amongst businesses. We've also had some fantastic documentaries highlighting the realities of our human impacts on the environment, biodiversity and indeed each other.
It does seem though that the primary focus is skewed towards the negative. We do of course face huge challenges and the permafrost melting is not good news however wouldn't it be great to have more coverage of the good things that are happening, the solutions and a brighter light shone on the new developments and innovations that pave the way towards a sustainable future.
Real progress is being made on nuclear fission for example which has the potential to totally game change low-carbon energy supply. There's tremendous work on hydrogen aircraft, rewilding projects and increased vision for sustainable farming.
We need more of this type of news and of the changes that are afoot so that they can be accelerated and inspire us all that transition is possible.
A public pool in the UK is expected to save £20,000 (about $24,000) and cut carbon emissions by 25.8 tons annually by warming a 25 m and children's pool with waste heat from a data center from startup Deep Green.