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In Benin, a long dry season makes it almost impossible for women farmers to grow food. For six months of the year, there is little rainfall and the land is parched. For years, women farmers and their families were trapped in a cycle of poverty and poor health.
But thanks to an innovative project developed by the Solar Electric Light Fund, year-round food production is now possible in Benin’s remote villages.
The Fund’s Solar Market Garden project combines solar-powered pumps with drip-irrigation systems to provide a cheap and eco-friendly way to get water from nearby rivers and underground aquifers. This means farmers can now water crops year-round and produce reliable, healthy food.
To tell us more, we spoke to Bob Freling, the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund.
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Did you know that more than 1.2 billion people around the world don’t have access to electricity in their homes? As a result, they are forced to burn expensive and polluting fuels for their basic lighting needs.
Azuri PayGo Energy wants to change that. Azuri has combined solar and mobile phone technology to bring clean energy to people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. The pay-as-you-go solar home system provides eight hours of emission-free lighting each day and enough power to charge mobile phones.
To learn more, we spoke to Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO of Azuri Technologies. -
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Across the United States, transportation is responsible for 27% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. ChargePoint is addressing climate change by making it easier and more fun for people to drive an electric vehicle. ChargePoint is the world’s largest network of electric vehicle charging stations, with 25,000 charging stations across the United States. With more than 350,000 electric vehicles sold in the United States, drivers need crucial EV infrastructure to make it easy to shift from fuelling with gasoline to fuelling with electricity. ChargePoint is transforming the transportation industry by providing the charging stations, mobile app and the network that allow people to charge their cars everywhere they go. To learn more, we spoke to Pasquale Romano, the President and CEO of ChargePoint.
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What do you think about when you think about Microsoft? Maybe computers, software and Bill Gates were the first things that came to your mind. But did you know that Microsoft is also a leader when it comes to fighting climate change? In 2012, Microsoft voluntarily introduced an internal carbon fee that holds its business units financially accountable for their carbon emissions. Microsoft’s business units are charged for the emissions associated with their energy consumption and business air travel. Microsoft then collects and spends the funds on its environmental initiatives. These include efficiency projects, green power projects, carbon offset projects, e-waste recycling, research and innovation. To learn more, we’re joined by TJ DiCaprio, the Director of Environmental Sustainability at Microsoft.
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In Uganda, farmers depend on the right amount of rain coming at the right time. Farmers used to know when to plant and what to plant to expect a good harvest because they knew when rainfall would begin and end. But now rainfall in the country is becoming scarce and unpredictable, and extreme heat is increasing in intensity and frequency. The Enabling Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change project was built with this in mind. Using information and communication technology tools in local languages, the project collects, analyzes and sends out agricultural advisories, crop and livestock market information and weather data to Ugandan farmers. To learn more, we spoke to Berhane Gebru, Director of Programs, FHI 360 TechLab.
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Did you know that 90 percent of all households in rural Rwanda and Tanzania still lack access to energy? Polluting and expensive kerosene lamps and diesel generators are the primary source of lighting and electricity. Berlin-based company Mobisol is changing that by bringing solar home systems to Rwanda and Tanzania. The systems are reducing pollution, improving indoor air quality and cutting emissions. Mobisol is also making a real difference in people’s lives. Mobisol enables the lower-income population to own a reliable energy source. This makes them independent from grid-electricity costs, power cuts and expensive, inefficient and unhealthy fuels like kerosene. To learn more, we spoke to Thomas Duveau, Mobisol’s Head of Business Development.
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Chances are that you’re listening to this podcast on your smartphone. It’s amazing to think how these devices connect us to each other and the entire world. But we’re not just talking about using your smartphone. The way your smartphone is made also connects you to the world. For example, there are at least 30 different minerals in every smartphone. What’s more, those minerals often come from conflict zones. A Dutch social enterprise has produced what has been heralded as the world’s first ethically sourced smartphone. Fairphone improves access to conflict-free minerals, while increasing fair labour practices and reducing e-waste. To learn more, we spoke to Bibi Bleekemolen, who is part of Fairphone’s Value Chain team.
