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Science, Technology

Climate crisis: IBM pledges net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030

IBM has announced that it will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to further its decades-long work to address the global climate crisis. Image credit: IBM
Image credit: IBM

IBM has announced that it will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to further its decades-long work to address the global climate crisis. The company will accomplish this goal by prioritizing actual reductions in its emissions, energy efficiency efforts, and increased clean energy use across the more than 175 countries where it operates.

“I am proud that IBM is leading the way by taking actions to significantly reduce emissions. The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time. IBM’s net zero pledge is a bold step forward that strengthens our long-standing climate leadership and positions our company years ahead of the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement,” said IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna in a press statement.

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3 Min Reading
Entertainment, Science

BLACKPINK promotes COP26, tackles climate change

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is leveraging its global popularity to help raise awareness on climate change and encourage climate action. Image credit: Screenshot of BLACKPINK YouTube video
Image credit: Screenshot of BLACKPINK YouTube video

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK is leveraging its global popularity to help raise awareness on climate change and encourage climate action. They urged their fans, known as BLINKS, to join them in their journey to learn more about climate change ahead of next year’s 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) hosted by the UK.

“This is our planet. This is our future. Climate change affects us all,” BLACKPINK member Lisa said in the video posted on their official Twitter account and YouTube channel.

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2 Min Reading
Science

Signify achieves carbon neutrality, promotes sustainability

Signify, the world leader in lighting, has announced that it has achieved carbon neutrality for all its operations across the world.

Signify, the world leader in lighting, has announced that it has achieved carbon neutrality for all its operations across the world. The company has also embarked on a new five-year journey in which it will focus on doubling its positive impact on the environment and society.

“We would like to congratulate Signify on their fantastic achievement of carbon neutrality across all operations in 2020. We have been working in partnership with Signify for over 10 years to accelerate the global adoption of energy efficient LED lighting and through Signify’s support of RE100 and EV100,” said The Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson in a press statement.

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3 Min Reading
A Life Less Analog, Science

COVID-19 and climate change: Every day is Earth Day

Technology column header

(Editor’s note: A different version of this article on COVID-19 and climate change was originally published on TessDrive.com. Reposted with permission.)

It’s a tough time for all of us as we cope with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s even tougher for children.

As the father of a teenage girl who is entering college this year, I’m proud of how she has shown resilience in the face of all these changes. It’s not easy for this batch of students. They are the first batch to experience attending a virtual high school graduation ceremony.

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4 Min Reading
Science

World Oceans Day virtual event features online concert

This year, the United Nations will celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8 with an all-day virtual event capped by an online concert featuring live performances from musicians around the world.

This year, the United Nations will celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8 with an all-day virtual event. It will be capped by an online concert featuring live performances from musicians around the world.

Produced in partnership with the non-profit organization Oceanic Global, UN World Oceans Day 2020 will feature keynote speeches, panels, and presentations with leading ocean voices. The 2020 theme is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”.

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2 Min Reading
Science, Technology

Cobots lending humans a helping hand in healthcare

Darrell Adams, Head, Southeast Asia & Oceania of Universal Robots, says cobots are gaining mainstream acceptance in different industries, including healthcare.
Darrell Adams, Head, Southeast Asia & Oceania of Universal Robots, says cobots are gaining mainstream acceptance in different industries, including healthcare.

Even without the current COVID-19 global pandemic, the global healthcare system is under tremendous strain. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a remarkable report on April 6. WHO has warned that the world needs at least 5.9 million additional nurses to meet global health targets. This is a staggering shortfall, indeed. Technology, however, may be coming to the rescue with the deployment of collaborative robots, or cobots, in the healthcare industry.

Unlike their heavy and large industrial robot cousins, cobots are nimbler and more user-friendly. As their name suggests, they are designed to work together with humans, rather than replacing them.

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6 Min Reading
A Life Less Analog, Science

Wildlife trade must end to help prevent future outbreaks

Technology column header

Scientists have not yet identified the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. What we do know, however, is that the wildlife trade increases the risk of spreading zoonotic diseases. Do we want to reduce the threat of future outbreaks? Then we must take a serious look at the dangers posed by the wildlife trade.

Richard Thomas, head of communications for TRAFFIC, was the speaker in a webinar on April 23. TRAFFIC is a non-governmental organisation whose mission is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Internews and its Earth Journalism Network held the webinar to provide more information on zoonotic diseases. Thomas discussed the role of the wildlife trade and the possible origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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4 Min Reading
Science

Telepsychiatry: Online consultations via Talk to Dr. Lee

Psychiatrist Ruby Jade Lee-Cheng says telepsychiatry allows her and her father Paul V. Lee to help patients cope with the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Psychiatrist Ruby Jade Lee-Cheng says telepsychiatry allows her and her father Paul V. Lee to help patients cope with the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to take care of both our physical and mental health. Through telepsychiatry, a father and daughter have been addressing the needs of their patients in the age of social distancing and lockdowns.

As all of us can attest to, dealing with the pandemic and the sweeping changes in the way we work and play has been very stressful.

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5 Min Reading
Science

NASA, SpaceX make history with Crew Dragon launch

NASA and SpaceX make history. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA and SpaceX make history. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Not too long ago, many considered Elon Musk‘s SpaceX a joke. Today it made history with NASA. The company successfully launched the SpaceX Crew Dragon carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley.

For the first time, NASA astronauts have launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft. SpaceX Crew Dragon is now on its way to the International Space Station.

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3 Min Reading
Science, Technology

Teletherapy for kids encourages family involvement

Speech-language pathologist Krizia Anna Castro, shown here with her son Mac, says teletherapy can be as effective as face-to-face sessions.
Speech-language pathologist Krizia Anna Castro, shown here with her son Mac, says teletherapy can be as effective as face-to-face sessions.

Thanks to technology, speech-language pathologist Krizia Anna Castro is still able to help children with special needs. Castro is offering teletherapy services since face-to-face sessions are not possible due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Teletherapy refers to remote therapy, using technology so that the therapist and client can communicate. Castro said this usually involves video platforms such as Zoom, Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger, or FaceTime. Apart from convenience, teletherapy offers other advantages.

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5 Min Reading
Science, Technology

Turn your screen time into climate solutions with this app

Put your screen time to good use by joining We Don't Have Time.
Put your screen time to good use by joining We Don’t Have Time.

(Editor’s note: A different version of this article on screen time was originally published on TessDrive.com. Reposted with permission.)

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and the enhanced community quarantine, many of us are staying home and spending more time online. What if we could use all that screen time to help solve the climate crisis?

Stockholm-based WeDontHaveTime AB (publ) is a startup crowdfunded by over 550 investors from 15 different countries. This Swedish company operates We Don’t Have Time, which seeks to harness the power of social media to find solutions for the climate crisis.

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4 Min Reading
Science, Technology

Press freedom needed vs COVID-19, says Amal Clooney

Facts are needed in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and to get the truth you need press freedom, says Amal Clooney. Image credit: IBM Think Digital
Facts are needed in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and to get the truth you need press freedom, says Amal Clooney. Image credit: IBM Think Digital

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation. Unfortunately, governments are also using the crisis as an excuse to intensify the assault on press freedom, continuing the global trend toward authoritarianism.

A barrister who specializes in international law and human rights, Clooney was one of the speakers at IBM’s Think Digital conference. The conference does not just focus on technology solutions. It also takes a look at the impact of digital transformation and the COVID-19 pandemic on society.

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5 Min Reading
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