Ideas on Environmental Sustainability: WGSN Summit 2018

WGSN recently held their annual Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, attracting almost 70,000 technologists, marketers and entrepreneurs to discuss ideas on environmental sustainability.

The 2018 ‘Big Idea’ Summit looks to review the current digital landscape and discuss what will shape the future of the internet. This year there was a specific focus on the key ideas around environmental sustainability.

The key points covered a range of issues from security to mobility innovation, Many speakers showcased how technology solutions are being used to tackle climate change. As a critical aim of the conference was to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, clearly ideas on environmental sustainability was a hotly discussed topic.

“Humanity connected to technology has got to be more communicative, more peaceful and more constructive than humanity disconnected”
Tim Berners-Lee: Inventor of the World Wide Web

Ideas on Environmental Sustainability

Companies pledging sustainability initiatives around ideas on environmental sustainability included:

Apple: Development of ‘Recycling Robots’ capable of dismantling 200 old iPhones per hour to recycle materials for future production.
IKEA: Aiming to use only recycled and renewable materials by 2030, plus the roll-out of renting and buyback services to refurbish and resell the product. A test scheme in Japan saw 80% of 6000 products recycled, with the buyback scheme now live in Australia.
Patagonia: Having already led the way in the clothing world, Patagonia is turning its attention to the food industry creating a new line called Patagonia Provisions.
Anheuser-Busch InBev: The worlds largest brewer is looking at lowering its carbon footprint through the use of hydrogen fuel cell trucks able to travel 1000 miles before requiring refuelling.
BP: Not usually a name linked with sustainability, BP is channelling a ‘Back to the Future’ moment, investing USD 30 million into the development of a low-carbon jet fuel made from household waste.
Plenty: Farming group focusing on the reduction of water required to grow produce. Initial crops have been grown using 100 times less water than a standard farm.

Further company pledges for ideas on environmental sustainability can be viewed at WGSN.