Spotted: Every year we dump a colossal 2.12 billion tonnes of waste. And if we filled trucks with this rubbish, there would be vans to go around the globe 24 times. Although our rubbish clearly isn’t stored just in trucks, do we know where it actually goes? Edinburgh-based data analytics firm Topolytics is looking for answers with its data aggregation and analytics platform that aims to make the world’s waste visible, verifiable, and valuable.
The platform, called WasteMap, collects and analyses data about waste types, amounts, and movements to create insights for waste producers, investors, and governments across numerous sites, regions, and countries. With this, Topolytics envisions waste and management resources becoming more transparent and effective for both commercial use and the environment.
Michael Groves, Topolytics chief executive, explains that, “it helps waste producers and recyclers to drive resource and cost efficiencies, to trace the movement of waste and measure their impact, whilst validating performance and improving the quality and reliability of ESG and carbon reporting.”
The Scottish firm has reportedly raised £1.5 million (around €1.69 million) from “seasoned hight-net-worth-investors” and a UK Research and Innovation grant. With this money, the company claims it will launch its WasteMap solution and further commercial business.
Springwise has previously spotted other intelligent technologies that help manage the waste we make, including an AI-powered litter-picking vehicle and an AI-handled waste-sorting process.
Design studio Hakuten has created a three-dimensional map of Ginza, Tokyo, that presents the ecology that exists in the district.
The Ginza Ecological Map, which was featured in the Japanese makeup brand Shiseido‘s Hakuten’s window, was designed to “carefully express the impression of the location and the history of the city, with a hidden story of Ginza”.
The map showcased the local ecology in the area
It spotlighted the natural elements found throughout the district, including samples of trees, plants, insects and earth, with the intention of enhancing the local community’s knowledge of its district’s ecology. Each item was presented in one of 72 windows – similarly to how scientific specimens are exhibited in museums.
The exhibition ran throughout 2021 and across two themes: Organisms, which presented insects and cuttings from plants, and Earth – showcasing the diversity of soils found throughout the district.
Parts of the glothistle plant were arranged in a clock-like motif to represent the district’s Wako clock tower
“We carefully displayed this ecology in the window as if they were scientific specimens,” said Hakuten.
“The exhibition ran throughout the year across two different ecological themes – Organisms and Earth – and brought to light a new and beautiful Ginza that had not been seen before in the form of the Ginza Ecology Map.”
Ginkgo biloba trees were planted in Ginza in 1906
The materials were collected during a number of fieldwork studies in addition to the knowledge gained from speaking to people local to Ginza. Once collected, the items were exhibited in creative ways with the aim of becoming a tool to communicate the connection between Ginza’s natural world and society.
For example, the plant named glothistle was collected from under the city’s Wako clock tower, and as part of the exhibition was displayed in a clock-like motif to represent it.
In addition, the district’s ginkgo biloba trees were planted in 1906, and according to the designers, they represent a “turning point for modernisation in the city”.
As a nod to the tree’s heritage in the district, images of Ginza’s buildings were printed onto the collected ginkgo tree leaves as part of the exhibition.
The exhibition showcased a number of plants and insects
“Unlike most window displays that show objects and installations that only suit its occasion, not only did Ginza Ecological Map provide a new perspective of Ginza city, but through research from local residents it also expanded into a communication tool between the city and the people,” said Hakuten.
“By looking at the usually unseen ecology that exists in a metropolis, we were able to rethink the relationship between the city, people, and nature in an attempt to approach a more sustainable society.”
Earth was collected as part of the exhibition
As part of the Earth theme, the colour of the soil across the district was documented, including samples collected from sidewalk ditches and from around various plants such as dogwood and camellia.
The exhibition also shed light on creating a number of creative resources from the city’s soil – including pottery and crayons – and clothing dyed using local plant’s pigments.
The map featured in the Japanese brand Shiseido’s window
According to the studio, the pandemic provided the opportunity to reflect on the human-nature relationship as Ginza was “emptied” because of the pandemic.
The project was conceived of this change, and aimed to rethink the district’s approach towards creating a society more mindful of enhancing and protecting its nature.
The exhibition also presented the ways in which local plant pigments can be used as textile dye
“In Covid-19 where we were provided with more opportunities to deeply reflect upon the global environment, this project allowed us to rethink the relationship between the city, people, and nature in an attempt to approach a more sustainable society,” said Hakuten.
Ginza Ecological Map has been shortlisted in the exhibition design category at this year’s Dezeen Awards alongside, Weird Sensation Feels Good – The World of ASMR, Greenwood Rising: Black Wall Street History Center exhibition and Journey of the Pioneers.
Spotted: There is a now a new way to stay hydrated when visiting Venice’s historic streets and waterways. Visitors to the island can use a map and an app to find a fountain of fresh water near their location. Each fountain is unique and provides a glorious mix of design and location. The map encourages people to carry their own personal water bottles and forego the disposable plastic versions whenever possible.
The Venice Tap Water website lists all currently available fountains within the city and on the surrounding islands. There are nearly 200 listed, making it often only a matter of a few steps to find safe drinking water. Water distribution company Veritas provides detailed water quality information for the area, alongside a map of public restrooms in the city.
As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Venice, like many other top sites, is struggling to find the right balance between preservation of the city and showcasing the beauty that makes it famous. From January 2023, the city will impose a tourist tax that requires visitors to book entry to the island and pay a fee ranging from €3 to €10.
Other innovations spotted by Springwise that are helping to improve the sustainability of global tourism include a satellite-powered platform that lists local ecosystem information and an eco-luxury hotel focused on minimising its carbon footprint.
