How Used EV Batteries Are Transforming Lives in Rural India
From EV to Empowerment
Today’s eco snapshot👇🏽
How Used EV Batteries Are Transforming Lives in Rural India
Startup of The Week: ChillSkyn
5 Sustainable Brands I Recently Discovered
News That Lifted My Spirits This Week
3 Ways I Can Support Your Sustainability Journey
How Used EV Batteries Are Transforming Lives in Rural India
In southern India, a group of six women running a small garment business faced a significant challenge: frequent power cuts that disrupted their work. Heavy rains and overloaded grids from air conditioners during extreme heat would often leave them without electricity, forcing them to resort to manual stitching.
The solution came in the form of an innovative black box - a battery pack made from recycled electric vehicle batteries. This printer-sized device now keeps their sewing machines and lights running even during power outages, enabling them to complete orders on time and work efficiently.
As the country transitions to clean energy with more electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure, there's a growing need to develop comprehensive recycling strategies for these components to prevent waste accumulation and reduce dependency on imported critical minerals.
⌛ Time for the quiz of the week
Answer at the end of the newsletter. No one (including me) can see your response so feel free to vote 😉
✨ Startup of the week: ChillSkyn
Hot Problem…As our world gets warmer, we're cranking up our ACs and coolers more than ever. We want our food to be fresh, our rooms comfy, and our gadgets to run smoothly. But here's the catch-all this cooling needs power, which means more emissions, which means... you guessed it, even more heat!
Cool Solution…Enter ChillSkyn with its clever fix: Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling (PDRC). It has developed smart nanomaterial coatings that reflect heat directly back into space. The material emits heat as infrared radiation at a specific wavelength that passes through the atmosphere. These coatings keep surfaces about 6 degrees cooler than their surroundings.
Chill Vibes…Whether it's keeping your groceries fresh in transit, protecting batteries, or keeping buildings comfortable, its system helps cut down on traditional cooling costs. Less energy used means more money saved and a happier planet!
✅ 5 Sustainable Brands I Recently Discovered
Ecomestre: Redefining corporate gifting with artists and artisans.
Liquidonate: Helps retailers to donate customer returns instead of discarding them.
Xampla: Sustainable, home-compostable packaging solutions that you can eat as well.
Tulu: On-demand rentals of home products and household items.
Kubik: Addressing Africa's plastic & housing crises by constructing homes from plastic waste.
😹 News That Lifted My Spirits This Week
In Bihar, India, the brick industry is embracing a cleaner future with the zigzag kiln design. This innovative approach, pushed by the state government since 2016, has led to significant reductions in coal consumption and emissions. By 2022, 60% of kilns had adopted this eco-friendly tech, with current figures reaching 82-85%.
President Biden made history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Amazon, announcing significant funding initiatives for its protection. He pledged $10 billion in public and private funds, plus an additional $50 million for the Amazon Fund, bringing total U.S. contributions to $100 million.
At COP29 in Baku, 25 countries and the EU pledged to avoid new unabated coal power in their next climate plans. Major coal consumers like China, India, and the US haven't joined yet. It's a step forward, but the real challenge lies in getting the big players on board.
💁🏼 3 Ways I Can Support Your Sustainability Journey
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Give that 💚 a little tap if this edition helped you learn something new about sustainability and climate change. See you next week :)
Always an energizing read Naman!