Access

Zarkon Group Real Estate Builders & Developers > Blog > Access

Tag: Access

Clean desalination improves access to drinking water
CategoriesSustainable News

Clean desalination improves access to drinking water

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Desalination of seawater has the potential to help alleviate the world’s decreasing availability of freshwater. The process, however, is polluting and raises the salt levels of the water in which the plant operates to potentially dangerous levels. Additionally, the most common technique (reverse osmosis) of desalination consumes high volumes of energy.

Approaching the process with a different technology is French technology company Seawards. Seawards uses its patented cryo-separation process to desalinate seawater without any pollution and with much lower energy expenditure. Saltwater freezes at a lower temperature than pure water, and this makes it possible to extract drinkable water during a cooling cycle. This is because crystals of freshwater can be separated and collected while the salty water remains liquid.

Of the water taken into the system, around 10 per cent is turned into potable water, while the remaining 90 per cent is circulated back to the sea. Crucially, the returned water is only slightly more salty than when it entered the system and contains no chemicals, meaning it is non-polluting and can be safely absorbed by the ocean without damaging local ecosystems. This stands in contrast to traditional desalination techniques that produce toxic brine (water with a very high salt content) as a waste product.

Seawards’ team emphasises the global need to democratise access to clean water. It is a goal the company works toward with its agile system, modular design, and elimination of pollutants. And because cryo-separation requires less power than existing techniques, the process is more accessible to smaller communities.

The minimised footprint of the prefabricated infrastructure makes it easy to assemble without substantial construction costs and equipment needs, and depending on the need, the cryo-separation system can also be scaled for greater treatment volumes.

From mobile filtration systems to off-grid solar desalination, Springwise’s library includes a variety of examples of innovators seeking ways to improve community access to potable water.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Helping companies and individuals access a circular economy for electronics
CategoriesSustainable News

Helping companies and individuals access a circular economy for electronics

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Researchers predict that the refurbished electronics market will reach more than $94 billion (around €88 billion) by 2030. Such growth suggests an increase in the accessibility of devices based on cost as well as more robust reuse and recycling systems.

Contributing to the big strides being taken in keeping used electronic devices out of landfill is technology recycling company GreenDice. The Estonian company partners with a range of businesses to place their used equipment with members of communities in need of connectivity.  

With a starting monthly fee of €5.9 per month, individuals can choose a refurbished laptop, desktop, or both. Every plan comes with GreenDice’s guaranteed IT support and full transparency on how old the device is and who owned it. Borrowers can feel confident that they are getting quality devices as all equipment comes from globally known manufacturers and businesses upgrading their tech. 

If a device is no longer needed, borrowers can return it at any time, with no costs involved in cancelling. And when a computer reaches the end of its usable life, GreenDice takes it back and oversees the responsible, sustainable recycling of its parts.  

For businesses, GreenDice offers a way to reduce environmental impact without having to resort to offsetting emissions. The company’s programme also makes it possible for organisations to complete reliable full life cycle assessments of their device inventory.

Affordability is a cornerstone of the company’s programme, and the team plans to decrease monthly fees in proportion to a growth in the number of commercial partners. 

A non-toxic, low-energy material recovery process, along with a used electronics marketplace are two other methods of increasing circularity that are highlighted by innovators in Springwise’s database.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Helping entreprenurial African women access financial services
CategoriesSustainable News

Helping entreprenurial African women access financial services

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In Nigeria, it is estimated that women’s earned income is 65 per cent of men’s, due to fewer work hours and the fact that women dominate the lower-paid, informal job sector. This means they have fewer opportunities for networking and fundraising than men. Now, an app called Herconomy, is helping to bridge that gap.

Herconomy began as an Instagram page, created by entrepreneur Ife Durosinmi-Etti, who showcased local and international opportunities like grants and fellowships available to entrepreneurs in Africa. The site soon became a hub for thousands of female entrepreneurs looking for information.

The page eventually became a Telegram group, but scaling was an issue, as the team behind it found it difficult to coordinate the large number of conversations on the site. So, the team has now launched a subscription app (which also has a free tier). The app gives members access to a community and opportunity board, grants, weekly capacity-building workshops, and discounts from over 60 brands.

In June this year, Herconomy announced that it was receiving backing from Google for Startups, as one of the recipients of Google’s Black Founders Fund, which will help the femtech startup accelerate its mission.

This is not the first bank Springwise has spotted targeting an underserved market. Other financial innovations in the archive include a banking platform for workers in Africa’s informal sector and nano-credit for low-income entrepreneurs.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Vaccine printers expanding access to immunisation
CategoriesSustainable News

Vaccine printers expanding access to immunisation

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of children missed out on regularly scheduled immunisations, which resulted in local outbreaks of diseases such as measles, polio, and yellow fever that have, for the most part, been kept under control worldwide for many years.  

As communities adjust to life post-pandemic and make plans for the ongoing management of infectious diseases, innovators are seeking solutions to some of the complex challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak. One of the most difficult aspects of distributing vaccines during the pandemic was keeping them at the appropriate temperature while shipping and storing them in locations with irregular access to electricity and cold storage.  

A team of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers decided to try making vaccines that could be stored at room temperature as a way of mitigating that hazard. What they created is a mobile printer that produces thumbprint-sized vaccine patches that can be stored at room temperature. The printer easily fits on a tabletop, and the patches can be self-applied. Eliminating the need for syringes and application by healthcare professionals immediately increases the accessibility of the medicine. 

Each patch contains hundreds of microneedles filled with the vaccine. When the patch is applied to the skin, the microneedles dissolve underneath, releasing the vaccine into the body. Lipid nanoparticles hold the vaccine, which is what makes it possible to store the medicine for many months at room temperature. 

The prototype printer produces around 100 patches every 48 hours, and the scientists are already working on improving that speed and capacity, as well as adapting and developing the process for use with various vaccines.   

Other innovations that Springwise has spotted that focus on vaccine accessibility include a new storage method that makes it possible to keep vaccines at room temperature and a solar-powered portable refrigerator that healthcare workers can carry on a bicycle.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Technology enables messaging and app access without data or wifi
CategoriesSustainable News

Technology enables messaging and app access without data or wifi

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The internet has become so ingrained in our daily lives that most of us can’t envision life without it. However, there are still many parts of the world where internet access is unavailable or unreliable. Mexican startup Bridgefy is on a mission to connect users even without internet access. 

Bridgefy leverages other nearby smartphones’ Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas to create a mesh network that connects devices within a 330-foot range. The company has developed a free offline messaging app but this is not the only use of its technology, which also allows apps to function without an Internet connection.

Only those apps within the Bridgefy network can provide services to users without internet access. But the startup has developed a software development kit (SDK) that helps app developers easily incorporate the mesh network technology into their iOS or Android code.

Bridgefy created the SDK to get their product out to a wider audience faster and with less hassle. Thanks to Bridgefy, developers can now provide their users with offline capabilities in a variety of situations, whether it be for messaging, payments, or even social networking.

Bridgefy charges companies depending on how many users they attract while using the app offline. The company expects to be able to support ride-hailing apps, cruise ship apps, educational apps, social media, and gaming.  

One of the most successful uses of the technology is a collaboration between Bridgefy and SkyAlert that helps citizens connected in times of natural disaster. SkyAlert, which is also based in Mexico, issues earthquake warnings shortly before they happen. 

Other innovations, spotted by Springwise, that look to extend connectivity include smaller satellites for faster internet, a satellite communication network for remote communities, and a startup that brings Wi-Fi to remote farm communities.

Written By: Katrina Lane

10th June 2022

Website: bridgefy.me

Reference