Footprint

footprint

As cloud adoption accelerates, so does the energy consumption of data centers, leading to a rising awareness of the environmental impact of IT infrastructures. A 2022 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted that data centers now account for nearly 1% of the world's electricity use, with projections showing an even higher figure as cloud computing continues to grow. This has prompted companies, governments, and environmental groups to demand greener, more sustainable IT practices. DevOps, a field built on automation and infrastructure scaling, is at the center of these discussions, particularly as companies search for ways to reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining performance. Aliaksei Volski, a cloud engineer with years of experience working with sustainability-focused DevOps practices, brings invaluable insight into this field. Having spent the last several years optimizing cloud infrastructure with a strong focus on sustainability, Volski understands the intricate balance between technological advancement and environmental responsibility. “We’ve reached a point where the carbon footprint of our digital activities can’t be ignored,” Volski emphasizes. “Every company using cloud infrastructure should be thinking about how to reduce energy consumption and emissions through automation and smart resource management.” His recent work reflects a growing trend in the tech industry to reduce carbon footprints by embedding eco-friendly practices directly into DevOps processes. “Sustainability in DevOps isn’t just about reducing energy consumption,” Volski notes. “It’s about embedding efficiency into the automation process, ensuring that the infrastructure can scale without putting unnecessary strain on the environment.” One of the technologies often employed in sustainable DevOps strategies is Microsoft Azure, a cloud platform that has introduced several features to optimize energy efficiency. For instance, the Microsoft Sustainability Calculator enables organizations to monitor and visualize their carbon emissions across cloud resources, helping businesses identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, Microsoft has committed to making its data centers fully reliant on renewable energy by 2025, a move that will drastically reduce the environmental impact of cloud services. Leading companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have taken notable steps toward reducing the carbon emissions associated with cloud infrastructure. Microsoft’s "Project Natick," for instance, focused on reducing energy consumption by submerging data centers underwater for natural cooling. Meanwhile, Google’s “Carbon-Free Energy” initiative aims to achieve 100% renewable energy in all its operations by 2030. Amazon’s “Sustainability in the Cloud” program emphasizes optimizing energy efficiency across its AWS data centers, incorporating green energy solutions and advanced cooling technologies. Volski’s broader experience in cloud infrastructure optimization underscores the growing need to balance business goals with ecological ones. His approach involves developing best practices for reducing the carbon footprint of cloud infrastructure, such as optimizing resource use and integrating automated monitoring systems to track energy consumption in real time. “One of the biggest wins we’ve had was through real-time monitoring,” Volski explains. “By setting up continuous tracking systems, we were able to identify when resources were being underutilized and then scale them down automatically. This not only saved on costs but also helped reduce our overall energy usage.” For example, a 2021 case study from Goldman Sachs highlighted how dynamic resource allocation via Kubernetes reduced energy consumption by 30% in its cloud infrastructure while maintaining high availability and performance. By adopting similar DevOps approaches, companies can make considerable gains in reducing their carbon footprint without compromising scalability or performance. Tools such as Terraform for infrastructure automation and Prometheus for monitoring provide robust frameworks that enable teams to efficiently scale their cloud environments while keeping energy usage in check. The push for greener DevOps practices is not just a passing trend but is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage for companies. A 2023 report from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) found that businesses implementing sustainable cloud practices saw a 15% reduction in operational costs on average. Furthermore, customers are beginning to demand eco-conscious initiatives from the brands they engage with. According to a 2022 survey by IBM, over 60% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from companies that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices, highlighting the potential business benefits of adopting sustainable DevOps methodologies. Looking ahead, Volski emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that considers both technological advancements and sustainability. “It’s not enough to just optimize processes,” Volski says. “We need to integrate renewable energy wherever possible and encourage the adoption of practices like power-efficient coding and serverless architecture to further minimize the carbon impact of our systems.” Serverless computing, for instance, allows companies to run functions only when needed, drastically reducing the energy footprint by eliminating the need for always-on infrastructure. Another emerging trend in sustainable DevOps is the use of carbon-aware computing, where cloud operations are scheduled around periods of low carbon intensity in the energy grid. This concept allows cloud services to dynamically shift workloads to times when renewable energy is most available. According to a study by the University of Bristol, this strategy could reduce carbon emissions from cloud operations by as much as 20%. Volski sees this as a promising avenue for future developments: “Carbon-aware computing is one of those innovations that could have a huge impact. By adapting our operations to take advantage of cleaner energy sources, we’re not just improving our processes—we’re helping the planet.” By adopting sustainable practices in DevOps, companies have the opportunity to lead the charge in eco-friendly technology solutions. While the tech giants have made considerable headway, there’s still vast potential for businesses of all sizes to reduce their environmental impact. “DevOps professionals have the power to make a real difference,” Volski concludes. “With the right tools and mindset, we can ensure that the cloud revolution not only benefits business but also supports a healthier, more sustainable world.” As cloud adoption accelerates, so does the energy consumption of data centers, leading to a rising awareness of the environmental impact of IT infrastructures. A 2022 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted that data centers now account for nearly 1% of the world's electricity use, with projections showing an even higher figure as cloud computing continues to grow. This has prompted companies, governments, and environmental groups to demand greener, more sustainable IT practices. DevOps, a field built on automation and infrastructure scaling, is at the center of these discussions, particularly as companies search for ways to reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining performance. Aliaksei Volski, a cloud engineer with years of experience working with sustainability-focused DevOps practices, brings invaluable insight into this field. Having spent the last several years optimizing cloud infrastructure with a strong focus on sustainability, Volski understands the intricate balance between technological advancement and environmental responsibility. “We’ve reached a point where the carbon footprint of our digital activities can’t be ignored,” Volski emphasizes. “Every company using cloud infrastructure should be thinking about how to reduce energy consumption and emissions through automation and smart resource management.” His recent work reflects a growing trend in the tech industry to reduce carbon footprints by embedding eco-friendly practices directly into DevOps processes. “Sustainability in DevOps isn’t just about reducing energy consumption,” Volski notes. “It’s about embedding efficiency into the automation process, ensuring that the infrastructure can scale without putting unnecessary strain on the environment.” One of the technologies often employed in sustainable DevOps strategies is Microsoft Azure, a cloud platform that has introduced several features to optimize energy efficiency. For instance, the Microsoft Sustainability Calculator enables organizations to monitor and visualize their carbon emissions across cloud resources, helping businesses identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, Microsoft has committed to making its data centers fully reliant on renewable energy by 2025, a move that will drastically reduce the environmental impact of cloud services. Leading companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have taken notable steps toward reducing the carbon emissions associated with cloud infrastructure. Microsoft’s "Project Natick," for instance, focused on reducing energy consumption by submerging data centers underwater for natural cooling. Meanwhile, Google’s “Carbon-Free Energy” initiative aims to achieve 100% renewable energy in all its operations by 2030. Amazon’s “Sustainability in the Cloud” program emphasizes optimizing energy efficiency across its AWS data centers, incorporating green energy solutions and advanced cooling technologies. Volski’s broader experience in cloud infrastructure optimization underscores the growing need to balance business goals with ecological ones. His approach involves developing best practices for reducing the carbon footprint of cloud infrastructure, such as optimizing resource use and integrating automated monitoring systems to track energy consumption in real time. “One of the biggest wins we’ve had was through real-time monitoring,” Volski explains. “By setting up continuous tracking systems, we were able to identify when resources were being underutilized and then scale them down automatically. This not only saved on costs but also helped reduce our overall energy usage.” For example, a 2021 case study from Goldman Sachs highlighted how dynamic resource allocation via Kubernetes reduced energy consumption by 30% in its cloud infrastructure while maintaining high availability and performance. By adopting similar DevOps approaches, companies can make considerable gains in reducing their carbon footprint without compromising scalability or performance. Tools such as Terraform for infrastructure automation and Prometheus for monitoring provide robust frameworks that enable teams to efficiently scale their cloud environments while keeping energy usage in check. The push for greener DevOps practices is not just a passing trend but is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage for companies. A 2023 report from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) found that businesses implementing sustainable cloud practices saw a 15% reduction in operational costs on average. Furthermore, customers are beginning to demand eco-conscious initiatives from the brands they engage with. According to a 2022 survey by IBM, over 60% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from companies that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices, highlighting the potential business benefits of adopting sustainable DevOps methodologies. Looking ahead, Volski emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that considers both technological advancements and sustainability. “It’s not enough to just optimize processes,” Volski says. “We need to integrate renewable energy wherever possible and encourage the adoption of practices like power-efficient coding and serverless architecture to further minimize the carbon impact of our systems.” Serverless computing, for instance, allows companies to run functions only when needed, drastically reducing the energy footprint by eliminating the need for always-on infrastructure. Another emerging trend in sustainable DevOps is the use of carbon-aware computing, where cloud operations are scheduled around periods of low carbon intensity in the energy grid. This concept allows cloud services to dynamically shift workloads to times when renewable energy is most available. According to a study by the University of Bristol, this strategy could reduce carbon emissions from cloud operations by as much as 20%. Volski sees this as a promising avenue for future developments: “Carbon-aware computing is one of those innovations that could have a huge impact. By adapting our operations to take advantage of cleaner energy sources, we’re not just improving our processes—we’re helping the planet.” By adopting sustainable practices in DevOps, companies have the opportunity to lead the charge in eco-friendly technology solutions. While the tech giants have made considerable headway, there’s still vast potential for businesses of all sizes to reduce their environmental impact. “DevOps professionals have the power to make a real difference,” Volski concludes. “With the right tools and mindset, we can ensure that the cloud revolution not only benefits business but also supports a healthier, more sustainable world.”

Greener DevOps: How Aliaksei Volski is Reducing Carbon Footprints in Cloud Infrastructure

Groener DevOps: hoe Aliaksei Volski koolstofvoetspore in wolkinfrastruktuur verminder

DevOps أكثر اخضرارًا: كيف يعمل Aliaksei Volski على تقليل البصمة الكربونية في البنية التحتية السحابية

Greener DevOps: Kunjams Aliaksei Volski jupax Infraestructura Cloud ukan Huellas de Carbono ukar jisk’achaski

DevOps más ecológico: cómo Aliaksei Volski reduce la huella de carbono en la infraestructura de la nube

Ավելի կանաչ DevOps. Ինչպես է Aliaksei Volski-ն նվազեցնում ածխածնի հետքերը Cloud ենթակառուցվածքում

より環境に優しい DevOps: Aliaksei Volski がクラウド インフラストラクチャの二酸化炭素排出量を削減する方法

Greener DevOps: Aliaksei Volski가 클라우드 인프라에서 탄소 발자국을 줄이는 방법

Greener DevOps: Jak Aliaksei Volski zmniejsza ślad węglowy w infrastrukturze chmurowej

DevOps ที่เป็นมิตรกับสิ่งแวดล้อม: Aliaksei Volski ลดรอยเท้าคาร์บอนในโครงสร้างพื้นฐานคลาวด์ได้อย่างไร

Greener DevOps: Aliaksei Volski ከመይ ጌሩ ኣብ ትሕተ ቅርጺ ደበና ኣሰር ካርቦን ይቕንሶ ኣሎ።

Greenaşyl DevOps: Aliaksei Wolski bulut infrastrukturasynda uglerod aýak yzlaryny nädip azaldar?

DevOps xanh hơn: Aliaksei Volski đang giảm lượng khí thải carbon trong cơ sở hạ tầng đám mây như thế nào

Hot takes on artificial intelligence are everywhere: Depending on where you look, generative AI will either kill us, take our jobs, liberate us from drudgery, or spur tremendous innovation. (Either way, calls for are here.) At The Markup we like to take a measured approach that often, well, includes measuring actual consequences. regulation So I’m thrilled to share this Q&A with associate professor of computer science at University of California, Riverside, , who together with his team—Riverside Ph.D. candidates and , and , an associate professor of computer science at University of Texas at Arlington—recently published a paper quantifying the . Shaolei Ren Pengfei Li Jianyi Yang Mohammad A. Islam secret water footprint of AI While the carbon footprint of emerging technologies has gotten some attention, to truly build toward sustainability, water has to be part of the equation too. Also, hello! I’m Nabiha Syed, the CEO of The Markup, and I happen to be a person who believes technological advancement can coexist with a healthy planet—if we make that a priority. Keep reading to learn how much water a single ChatGPT conversation might “drink” and tangible steps we can take to reduce the water footprint of AI. (This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.) Syed: With very good reason, we’re starting to see more scrutiny of the carbon footprint of various technologies, including AI models like GPT‑3 and GPT‑4 as well as . But your research focuses on something receiving less attention: the secret water footprint of AI technology. Tell us about your findings. bitcoin mining Water footprint has been staying under the radar for various reasons, including the big misperception that freshwater is an “infinite” resource and the relatively lower price tag of water. Many AI model developers are not even aware of their water footprint. But this doesn’t mean water footprint is not important, especially in drought regions like California. Ren: Together with my students and my collaborator at UT Arlington, I did some research on AI’s water footprint using state-of-the-art estimation methodology. We find that large-scale AI models are indeed big water consumers. For example, training GPT‑3 in Microsoft’s state-of-the-art U.S. data centers can directly consume 700,000 liters of clean freshwater (enough to produce 370 BMW cars or 320 Tesla electric vehicles), and the water consumption would have been tripled if training were done in Microsoft’s data centers in Asia. These numbers do not include the off-site water footprint associated with electricity generation. For inference (i.e., conversation with ChatGPT), our estimate shows that ChatGPT needs a 500-ml bottle of water for a short conversation of roughly 20 to 50 questions and answers, depending on when and where the model is deployed. Given ChatGPT’s huge user base, the total water footprint for inference can be enormous. Then, we further studied the unique spatial-temporal diversities of AI models’ runtime water efficiency—the water efficiency changes over time and over locations. This implies that there’s potential to reduce AI’s water footprint by dynamically scheduling AI workloads and tasks at certain times and in certain locations, the way we reduce our electricity bills by utilizing the low electricity prices during the night to charge our electric vehicles. Syed: How does this water footprint compare to something like, say, beef? We might see from some websites that beef and jeans have a big water footprint, but their water footprint is for the entire life cycle and includes a large portion of nonpotable water. For example, the water footprint of jeans starts from cotton growth. Ren: In our study, we only consider the operational water footprint (i.e., water consumption associated with training and running the AI models), whereas the embodied water footprint (e.g., water footprint associated with AI server manufacturing and transportation, including chipmaking) is excluded. If we factor in the embodied water footprint for AI models, my gut feeling is that the overall water footprint would be easily increased by 10 times or even more. Syed: I’m particularly curious about how carbon reduction and water conservation might be in tension with one another. What do you mean when you ask whether we should “follow or unfollow the sun”? Water efficiency mostly depends on the outside temperature as well as energy fuel mixes for electricity generation. Carbon-efficient hours/locations do not mean water-efficient hours/locations, and sometimes they’re even opposite to each other. Ren: Water-conscious users may prefer to use the inference services of AI models during water-efficient hours and/or in water-efficient data centers…. For example, in California, there’s a high solar energy production around noon, and this leads to the most carbon-efficient hours, but around noon, the outside temperature is also high, and hence the water efficiency is the worst. As a result, if we only consider carbon footprint reduction (say, by scheduling more AI training around noon), we’ll likely end up with higher water consumption, which is not truly sustainable for AI. On the other hand, if we only reduce water footprint (say, by scheduling AI training at midnight), we may increase the carbon footprint due to less solar energy available. Syed: It’s clear that tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are betting big on the future of AI, but are we seeing them make environmental considerations a priority in their development? Yes, we’ve been seeing water footprint emerge as a priority in the sustainability reports of several tech giants such as , , and . Ren: Google Microsoft Meta Also, legislators have recently begun to consider the impact of data centers’ water usage on the local environment. For example, in Virginia, where Loudon County is known as the “data center capital of the world,” , proposed early this year, would require “a site assessment … to examine the effect of the data center on water usage and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural resources.” SB 1078 Most of the industry’s efforts so far have been focused on improving the on-site water efficiency from the “engineering” perspective, e.g., improving the data center’s cooling tower efficiency and processing recycled water instead of tapping into the local potable water resources. Nonetheless, the vast majority of data centers still use potable water and cooling towers. For example, even tech giants such as Google heavily rely on cooling towers and consume billions of liters of potable water each year. Such huge water consumption has produced a stress on the local water infrastructure; Google’s data center used in The Dalles, Ore. Moreover, many data centers are also located in drought-prone areas such as California. more than a quarter of all the water Our study shows that “when” and “where” to train a large AI model can significantly affect the water footprint. The underlying reason is the spatial-temporal diversity of both on-site and off-site water usage effectiveness (WUE)—on-site WUE changes due to variations of outside weather conditions, and off-site WUE changes due to variations of the grid’s energy fuel mixes to meet time-varying demands. In fact, WUE varies at a much faster timescale than monthly or seasonably. Therefore, by exploiting spatial-temporal diversity of WUE, we can dynamically schedule AI model training and inference to cut the water footprint. For example, if we train a small AI model, we can schedule the training task at midnight and/or in a data center location with better water efficiency. Likewise, some water-conscious users may prefer to use the inference services of AI models during water-efficient hours and/or in water-efficient data centers, which can contribute to the reduction of AI models’ water footprint for inference. Such demand-side water management complements the existing engineering-based on-site water-saving approaches that focus on the supply side. Also, our approach is software-based and hence can be used together with any cooling systems for free without particular requirements on the climate conditions or new cooling system installations. By having more transparency, we’d be able to know exactly when and where we have the most water-efficient AI models. Syed: You propose transparency as a helpful next step. What questions could greater transparency help us answer? By having more transparency, we’d be able to know exactly when and where we have the most water-efficient AI models. Ren: Transparency also makes it possible to measure, benchmark, and improve the AI models’ water footprint, which can be of great value to the research community. Currently, some AI conferences have requested that authors declare their AI models’ carbon footprint in their papers; we believe that with transparency and awareness, authors can also declare their AI models’ water footprint as part of the environmental impact. With such information, AI model developers can better schedule their AI model training and also exploit the spatial-temporal diversity to better route the users’ inference requests to save water with little to zero degradation in other performance metrics. Additionally, transparency can also let users know their water footprint at runtime and better their water footprint (say, they might want to defer some nonurgent inference requests to water-efficient hours if possible). Apple has integrated clean energy scheduling into its iPhone products by selecting low-carbon hours for charging, and we hope that water-aware AI training and inference can also be turned into reality in the future. I hope you found this as thought-provoking as I did! This one hit especially close to home: My dad and sister are both water resources engineers, and I grew up in drought-riddled Southern California. We’re in a technological boom, for sure—but innovation should serve our public good, not obliterate it. Thanks for reading! Always, Nabiha Syed Chief Executive Officer The Markup By Nabiha Syed Also published here Photo by on David Becker Unsplash

AI Tech and Its Secret Water Footprint 

এআই টেক এবং এর সিক্রেট ওয়াটার ফুটপ্রিন্ট

KI-Technologie und ihr geheimer Wasser-Fußabdruck

La tecnología de inteligencia artificial y su huella hídrica secreta

La technologie IA et son empreinte hydrique secrète

एआई टेक और इसका गुप्त जल पदचिह्न

AI テクノロジーとその秘密の水のフットプリント

AI 기술과 그 비밀의 물 발자국

AI Tech e sua pegada hídrica secreta

Технологии искусственного интеллекта и их секретный водный след

Yapay Zeka Teknolojisi ve Gizli Su Ayak İzi

Công nghệ AI và dấu chân nước bí mật của nó

人工智能技术及其秘密水足迹

The rapidly increasing popularity of cryptocurrency has sparked discussions not only about its potential but also about its environmental impact. While the promise of decentralized currencies and blockchain technology is enticing, rising concerns regarding the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency have surfaced as a significant point of contention. The Impact of Crypto on the Planet While many point to cryptocurrency as the future, the concerns regarding its impact on our planet are more than warranted. The carbon footprint of cryptocurrency mining is substantial. A Cambridge University study estimated that Bitcoin mining alone consumes more electricity than entire countries like Argentina or the Netherlands. This energy-intensive process primarily relies on fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate change concerns. In another study out of Cambridge University, it was discovered that since its inception, cryptocurrency has accounted for over 200 million tons of Carbon Dioxide pollution, with 92% of those emissions coming in the past five years. Cryptocurrency mining, the process by which new coins are created and transactions are verified, predominantly relies on energy-intensive computational power. The most well-known cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum utilize a consensus mechanism known as Proof of Work (PoW). PoW requires miners to solve complex mathematical problems, consuming substantial amounts of electricity in the process. This energy consumption has led to mounting worries about the environmental sustainability of these digital currencies. Addressing the environmental challenges posed by cryptocurrency requires multifaceted solutions. One avenue involves transitioning toward alternative consensus mechanisms. How to Address the Environmental Challenges Proof of Stake (PoS), utilized by some cryptocurrencies like Cardano and Ethereum 2.0 (in the process of transitioning), requires far less energy by allowing validators to create new blocks based on the number of coins they hold, rather than computational power. This shift can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with mining. Furthermore, the utilization of renewable energy sources presents a viable solution. Initiatives to power mining operations with renewable energy, such as hydroelectric, solar, or wind power, have gained traction within the crypto community. Some mining farms have already made commitments to operate entirely on renewable energy, aiming to mitigate the environmental impact of their operations, with roughly 52% of crypto farms turning to the environmentally sound practice. This number is only expected to grow in the further years along with other practices being introduced to the crypto space. The most popular renewable energy source for mining cryptocurrency has been hydropower which powers roughly a quarter of all cryptomining operations. This was pioneered by HydroCryp, a Canadian-based company that utilizes water from the Parana River to generate hydroelectric energy for their power plants. This practice has helped HydroCryp achieve one of the lowest Kw/hr prices globally at just 0.045 Kw/hr. In addition to hydropower being used to help mitigate the environmental effects of cryptocurrency mining, companies have utilized wind power via turbines to account for roughly 15% of mining operations, with solar and nuclear-powered farms accounting for a similar percentage. In a recent study done by Cornell University in the United States, it was found that in periods of excess power generation, the revenue made from these mining operations could be substantial, allowing profits to be reinvested into other eco-friendly mining practices. Texas is currently leading the way in eco-friendly mining practices with 32 projects currently planned that are projected to make roughly 50 million dollars combined, providing an economic rise for both the State of Texas and crypto as a whole. Moreover, encouraging and incentivizing eco-friendly practices within the crypto sphere, such as carbon offset programs have become increasingly popular in recent years. These programs aim to counteract carbon emissions produced by various activities, including cryptocurrency operations, by investing in projects that reduce or offset an equivalent amount of carbon elsewhere. Participants calculate their carbon footprint and then invest in verified projects such as reforestation or renewable energy to mitigate their environmental impact. These programs promote environmental responsibility by supporting initiatives that reduce greenhouse gases which in turn contributes to a more sustainable future. Additionally, improving the efficiency of mining hardware and exploring innovative cooling mechanisms can contribute to reducing energy consumption in cryptocurrency mining. Advancements in technology might offer more energy-efficient solutions, making mining operations greener and more sustainable. In conclusion, acknowledging and addressing the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency mining is crucial for the long-term viability and acceptance of digital currencies. Embracing alternative consensus mechanisms, integrating renewable energy sources, and fostering eco-conscious practices within the crypto ecosystem are pivotal steps toward minimizing the environmental impact of this transformative technology. Balancing innovation with sustainability will be instrumental in shaping a more environmentally responsible future for cryptocurrencies.

The Carbon Footprint of Cryptocurrency: Challenges and Solutions

While rapid digital transformation has enhanced operational efficiency in several respects, it has also created a relentless challenge: data breaches. In July, hackers broke into US government contractor Maximus’s system and accessed sensitive health-related data of at least 8 million US citizens. That same month PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker platform, was hit, and over 110,000 customers’ social security numbers, names, and addresses were accessed. helps businesses worldwide avoid such breaches. Sekur Private Data Ltd. “Our prime directive is to provide private and secure communications for everyone, and, as we are not connected to any Big Tech cloud platform, we offer a truly independent, private, and secure means of communications without any data mining,” Sekur CEO Alain Ghiai explains. The company has its own infrastructure and technology and is hosted in Switzerland, a country that boasts the strictest privacy laws in the world, so there’s no better place on earth to store user data securely. In response to increased business email compromise cases, Sekur has announced the launch of Sekur Enterprise Solutions, a critical service for enterprises and governments. Notable features in this service include full user management, message and email archiving features, and an admin dashboard for mass onboarding and employee management. Enterprise’s upgraded email will also provide a split-level feature that allows the C-level to use Sekur’s network without migrating the rest of the company. ’s proprietary suite of privacy solutions comprises SekurMail, SekurVPN, and SekurMessenger. SekurMail’s send/reply feature enables users to communicate privately and securely with non-Sekur users without compromising data security. All communications happen only in Sekur’s secure Swiss servers, providing extra privacy and protection from cyber hacks and business email compromise attacks (“BEC”). Sekur SekurVPN keeps users anonymous and shields their digital footprints from prying eyes on the internet. The virtual private network (VPN) uses proprietary technology instead of open source, is easy to use and set up, and leaves zero traces of what you’re transferring. Unlike some in the market, SekurVPN has its own infrastructure, does not use third party hosting and does not pull traffic data or resell it to advertisers. Sekur’s Messenger feature is just as secure and private. It has a self-destructing function for chats on all devices, 100% end-to-end encryption, a chat-by-invite feature for non-Sekur users and a new enterprise version coming in October, with full compliance for the financial and other industries, including long term archiving and users’ management console. “Privacy is in the DNA of Sekur and its people,” Ghiai reiterates. “We never data mine or monitor your information. Our goal is to always think of ways to best provide the ultimate privacy through various features, such as never asking for your phone number when signing up to SekurMessenger, protecting people from phone hackers, and introducing new security features.” With increased data breaches at even the biggest tech giants in the world, Sekur Private Data Ltd. is leaving nothing to chance. As the CEO explains, the team is always looking for ways to enhance their robust business solutions to protect their customers. “We plan to launch SekurVoice and SekurIdentity in 2024 in order to expand on our privacy communications platform,” he discloses. “A Sekur browser is not out of the question sometime in the future either.” Ghiai also hints that the company will be completing an uplisting to the Nasdaq market to have better market visibility and access to growth capital. This story was distributed as a release by Ascend under HackerNoon’s Brand As An Author Program. Learn more about the program here: https://business.hackernoon.com/brand-as-author

Securing Your Digital Footprints: Sekur Private Data Ltd. Charts the Future

Asegure sus huellas digitales: Sekur Private Data Ltd. traza el futuro

Sécurisez vos empreintes numériques : Sekur Private Data Ltd. trace l’avenir

अपने डिजिटल फ़ुटप्रिंट सुरक्षित करें: सेकुर प्राइवेट डेटा लिमिटेड भविष्य का चार्ट बनाता है

デジタル フットプリントを保護: Sekur Private Data Ltd. が未来を描く

Proteja suas pegadas digitais: Sekur Private Data Ltd. traça o futuro

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保护您的数字足迹：Sekur Private Data Ltd. 描绘未来

Fueling Global Digital Economies: Dubai's Pioneering Virtual Assets Initiative The evolution of the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (DVARA) has undeniably marked Dubai's ascent as a globally recognized hub for virtual assets. This ground-breaking initiative, led by Dubai, signifies its strategic foresight in adapting to the rapidly changing dynamics of the world economies, now increasingly powered by digital currencies and assets. DVARA, with its dual mandate, regulates and cultivates growth and innovation within the digital assets landscape, safeguarding the financial system's stability. The blend of Dubai's robust regulatory framework, financial acumen, and steadfast commitment to fostering innovation has substantially reinforced its foothold in the global virtual assets spectrum. Looking ahead, Dubai exhibits a relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation. It continually strives to architect advanced regulations and enhance its infrastructure, mirroring its ambitious leadership vision. The momentum gained by Dubai in the global virtual assets market is propelled by its bold and innovative leadership vision. The city's unique selling proposition is its proactive, adaptive, and embracive approach towards technological evolution, echoing its ultimate ambition of transforming itself into the world's most technologically sophisticated and digitally integrated city. An anecdote that aptly portrays this transformation can be seen in the inception of DVARA itself. The leadership recognized the potential of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies early on. In 2018, they started drafting regulations and frameworks, while many were still skeptical. Fast forward to the present, and this early adoption has proven to be a game-changer, solidifying Dubai’s position in the digital economy. Another interesting case is the launch of a state-backed digital currency in 2023, further demonstrating the city's digital-first approach. These instances exemplify the city’s ability to turn vision into reality, and it is this propensity to pioneer that will undoubtedly continue to define its future. MaskEX's Global Ambition: 300% Workforce Growth and a Strong Presence in Dubai Embarking on a remarkable journey of global expansion, MaskEX, an innovative crypto exchange, sets its sights firmly on the MENA, CIS, and SEA regions. With a strategy to triple its workforce by the end of Q3, MaskEX is rapidly emerging as a substantial player within the global crypto exchange landscape. Methodically, the firm is assembling proficient and diverse teams across several domains, including marketing, IT, legal, business development, and compliance, in order to augment its international footprint. : Vested Interest Disclosure The author is an independent contributor publishing via our . Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR brand-as-author program Interestingly, MaskEX is making progressive strides in establishing its presence in key global locations, with Dubai, UAE, prominently in focus. The recent initial approval from Dubai's VARA for the FMP License marks a crucial milestone in MaskEX's mission to extend its state-of-the-art services to this dynamic region. Despite not currently serving the Dubai market, MaskEX's unwavering commitment to bring its top-tier crypto trading platform to the city's populace remains resolute. Looking into the future, Dubai's role in MaskEX's ambitious expansion strategy is undeniably significant. The city's flourishing crypto industry, combined with its visionary leadership and supportive regulatory environment, provides a conducive platform for MaskEX's growth trajectory. In testament to this, MaskEX is constructing its new headquarters in the prestigious Mashreq Bank Headquarters in Downtown Dubai, signifying MaskEX's steadfast commitment to integrating itself into Dubai's rapidly evolving crypto market. What sets MaskEX apart is its focus on constructing a comprehensive financial ecosystem, rather than simply being a trading platform. The ongoing development of MaskEX Pay, an innovative solution that blends blockchain technology with traditional financial infrastructure, embodies this unique approach. MaskEX's primary aim is to empower individuals and businesses worldwide, thereby proactively addressing the challenges of the traditional financial system. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Image credits: AI

MaskEX Expands Global Footprint, Eyes 300% Workforce Growth by Q3

FOOTPRINTS OF COLONIZATION

Mysterious Footprints

Nowadays a lot of websites and apps offer the service of calculating your carbon emissions and the ways to offset them. The websites and apps providing such services have various types of APIs at their disposal, and here are some of the most popular ones. Cloverly API Cloverly API offers you to offset carbon emissions by calculating the amount you produced. It can assess carbon emissions in several categories: Ecommerce (emissions from shipping a package), Freight (emissions from freight shipping), Travel (emissions from air travel, use of personal vehicles and hotel stays), and Utility (electricity and fuel). Cloverly API is used by several websites and services, for example Aclymate, a software platform that help companies to become more sustainable. AwardWallet Email Parsing API AwardWallet Email Parsing API collects information from users’ emails which then can be used to calculate carbon emissions. The good thing about that is that users do not need to enter any details manually, because the process is automated if they give their consent. The API parses any travel related data, such as flights, train trips, cruises, car rentals, hotel stays and more. AwardWallet Email Parsing API is used by a variety of companies, but its greenest partners are probably AirCare and Bearth. Carbon API Carbon API collects information about different types of carbon emissions, such as: energy consumption, air travel, freight, shipment, logistics, fuel consumption, ground and marine transport. It then processes the data and returns the result in kilos of carbon. Climatiq API Climatiq API is focused mainly on business operations, so it’s a great option for corporations. The API calculates carbon emissions produced by transportation and logistics, purchased goods and services, computer use, energy consumption, flights and air cargo, supply chain.  The Climatiq API is already used by Celonis, a global company that specializes in process mining helping other companies to improve their business operations. Lune API Lune API provides its partners with the ability to estimate carbon emissions and offset them via environmental projects. The types of carbon emissions include: air travel, shipping, transactions, electricity consumption, company emissions (office-related emissions, employee transportation, food, drinks, electronic equipment and computing or networking operations).  Lune API is used by Budbee, a sustainable delivery company which takes environmental issues rather seriously and mostly uses vehicles working on electricity or renewable diesel. GreenStory API GreenStory API is a good fit for online and offline stores who want to become greener. It calculates and offsets the product’s carbon emission at all stages: production, shipping and use. Greenstory API is already used by such famous brands as Esprit and Pangaia. The list goes on as more environmental APIs emerge by the minute, but these are the ones that will add sustainability to your app. Carbon footprint APIs help both companies and users to track and offset their carbon input while also help the community by supporting the environmental projects. I hope that the implementation of at least one of these APIs will spur the growth of your product and provide you with tools for further development.

Help Users Determine Their Carbon Footprint With These APIs

Cybersecurity risks are a bit like icebergs. While you're busy monitoring a small percentage of your visible digital activity, a much larger, more complicated journey is taking place deep beneath the surface. An average person generates 2 megabytes of data . User data, instant messages, browser activity, online forms and media content combine into a river of sensitive information being generated, stored, and shared without user oversight or knowledge. per second As cyber threats increase, understanding and limiting your digital footprint becomes key in reducing your exposure and eliminating many risks associated with data breaches and social engineering attacks. What is a digital footprint? Your digital footprint refers to the trail of information you generate when creating, sharing, or storing any digital data. It includes websites you visit, emails you send, and information you submit online. Most of your digital footprint is often not accessible to you but instead stored in third-party servers and databases. Therefore, it's vital to understand how your data is being preserved and potentially exposed to cybersecurity threats. At the same time, the rise of cloud computing makes managing your digital footprint significantly more critical. SaaS applications and cloud databases have become ubiquitous at home and work, spreading your sensitive information far more quickly and making it nearly impossible to track or secure. Why do digital footprints matter? Your digital footprint is primarily permanent, and it grows daily. Most data is shared without default restrictions, meaning other parties retain a copy even if you delete information from your devices. Since the future is uncertain, it's best to avoid granting perpetual access to your sensitive information unless necessary. More specifically, cybercriminals profit from . Identity theft, phishing attacks, and ransomware are all predicated on a hacker's ability to access your sensitive information. The larger your digital footprint, the more likely you'll be subject to a successful attack. exploiting personal or corporate digital footprints Finally, for companies that store customer data, tracking exactly how this data is being harvested, stored and used is critical. You'll need to comply with privacy and data protection laws and ensure that stored data remains secure. Limiting your digital footprint as much as possible (while continuing to support your IT and business needs) makes it much easier and less costly to handle safely while simultaneously reducing your risk of data leaks and reputational damage. Reducing your digital footprint with SharePass One of the most effective strategies to limit your digital footprint is data wiping; that is, regularly reviewing and deleting any data that is no longer relevant, safe, or necessary. However, fewer than 5% of companies report having an effective data-wiping process. Even worse, data wiping rarely accounts for sensitive information downloaded to a third-party application or database. With , data wiping occurs automatically and proactively. Every time new data is shared, it is tagged with a customizable time-to-live along with various controls limiting who, when, and where it is accessible. Rather than generating and sharing information blindly, SharePass allows you to based on an IP address, PIN, or even facial recognition. This way, data wiping occurs automatically, destroying any digital footprint. SharePass set custom controls SharePass also provides a central portal to track how your data is accessed and allows you to edit your permissions or delete your data at any time from any device. SharePass's digital footprint manager keeps you and your customers safe even in the worst-case scenario. Don't risk it. SharePass it!

What is Digital Footprint Management?

Many things that we do on this planet eventually generate the greenhouse gases that constitute the growing carbon footprint that can no longer be ignored. As governments are actively seeking ways to introduce effective measures against the threatening pace of climate change, the investors’ interest in the cleantech sector increases. The rise of green tech has inspired many entrepreneurs and scientists to step forward with innovative solutions that have the potential of reversing the damage that humanity has made to Planet Earth. As the goal of reaching “Net Zero” by 2050 still remains miraculous, technology seems to be our main hope for positive change. What Can Be Done to Reduce Carbon Footprint? ✅ Develop green air travel technologies Aviation accounts for up to 2-3% of carbon dioxide emissions. It’s much less than the amount coming from electricity or agriculture, yet these figures are much more significant than they may seem: thanks to the pandemic, the overall amount of emissions in 2020 dropped by a few hundred million tons. As since then we’ve got back to full-scale traveling, it’s pointless to hope for a reduction in air travel in the near future – so the only way to deal with it is to make it more sustainable. It’s highly unlikely that we will have access to zero-emissions air travel in the near future, but the foundation for developing such options has been set. In the future, we are likely to see more aviation companies switching to sustainable biofuel, an increasingly growing number of eclectic jets, and possibly hydrogen-powered planes. Startups to watch: Sylphaero France Country: 2020 Founding year: The company focuses on facilitating the adoption of alternative engines in aviation by developing electric batteries, propulsion systems, solar cells, and the actual engines that efficiently convert electricity into heat. What they do: Tessomo Technologies Ireland Country: 2018 Founding year: While biofuel may seem like a great alternative to traditional fossil fuels, its production may easily result in an uncompensated amount of CO2 – thus completely neutralizing the positive effect of its adoption. To fight this problem, Tessomo Technologies have introduced a solution for transforming recycled waste into liquid fuel. What they do: ZeroAvia : Britain / USA Country 2017 Founding year: This startup has already raised $140 for developing alternative flying technologies based on renewable hydrogen-powered aviation. Although its first test flights will reportedly be hybrid, the company’s vision is to make completely emission-free flights possible in the foreseeable future. What they do: ✅ Electric transport development It’s probably needless to say that cars and other vehicles moving off fossil fuel energy cause enormous damage to our climate. Although many car manufacturers have already introduced various electric alternatives to traditional means of transport, a large number of issues in this field still remain unsolvable. How do we make electric cars more affordable for the population? How long will it take to build the outstanding charging infrastructure in every location? Finally, how do we make the electric vehicle manufacturing process less harmful? These tech ventures might offer us some answers. Startups to watch: Hylico France Country: 2021 Founding year: The company offers commercial carbon-negative electric vehicles. Hylico trucks are due to be released in 2023 with a promise to run on hydrogen produced via biomass thermolysis – a process of transforming waste from the wood industry into organic charcoal fertilizer. What they do: Nowos Netherlands Country: 2019 Founding year: Nowos helps cut the need for battery manufacturing by bringing new energy to the existing batteries. The startup specializes in repairing, refurbishing, and recycling lithium batteries in order to make the electric vehicle industry more sustainable. What they do: VinFast Vietnam Country: 2017 Founding year: The company focuses on manufacturing all-electric sport-utility vehicles with a special subscription scheme for battery maintenance. The consumers signing up for the subscription are eligible for free battery maintenance and replacement as its capacity drops over time. What they do: ✅ Reduce animal product consumption Meat production is by far one of the most environmentally harmful industries. It’s one of the major causes of deforestation, loss of biodiversity, excessive water usage – and greenhouse gas emissions. Animals – particularly cows and sheep – create enormous amounts of methane as they digest food and produce manure. Overall, the meat and dairy industry is responsible for about 14,5% of global greenhouse emissions. While simply lowering the consumption of meat is already a significant step towards more sustainable agricultural practices, what would make a real difference at this point is a synergy of different technologies offering animal product alternatives. Startups to watch: Air Protein USA Country: 2019 Founding year: This startup strives to become a carbon-negative company by transforming captured CO2 into alternative meat. The technology is based on the findings made by NASA scientists, who discovered that a certain type of microbes can convert carbon dioxide combined with water and energy into highly nutritious protein. What they do: vly Germany Country: 2019 Founding year: As it’s become clear that soy products can be j , green tech enthusiasts have been on the lookout for better alternatives – and this German startup seems to have found one. Vly produces vegan milk made from yellow spit peas – a great source of natural protein with a much lower carbon footprint. What they do: ust as harmful to the environment as meat Jiminy’s USA Country: : 2016 Founding year A large percentage of our meat consumption comes from pet food manufacturing. This company has come up with a creative approach to the problem by replacing the meat protein in dog food with insect protein – or, specifically, crickets. Jiminy’s produces healthy and sustainable nutrition for pets that seems to be appreciated by both the owners and their pets. What they do: ✅ Capture CO2 from the atmosphere One of the ways to reverse greenhouse emissions is to capture carbon dioxide from the air. A huge problem with the current technologies for direct CO2 capturing is, however, that such machines use an unjustifiable amount of global energy supplies. That’s why this topic has been one of the hottest challenges for climate tech ventures – a sustainable and scalable way to collect CO2 is yet to be discovered. Consequently, the other focus for climate tech startups is the actual utilization of the captured gas. Turns out there are many ways to put CO2 into sustainable production, with more and more creative approaches coming up as the technology evolves. Startups to watch: Carbon Infinity United Kingdom Country: 2019 Founding year: This startup is determined to introduce a modular technology that would make capturing CO2 easier and more cost-effective, making carbon removal a largely scalable technology. The vision of the company is to de-fossilize the economy by extracting and storing large amounts of greenhouse gas for industrial use. What they do: SeeO2 : Canada Country 2019 Founding year: This startup has focused its solutions on converting the captured carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels and chemicals for industrial use. SeeO2 is currently developing reversible solid oxide fuel cells that would make it possible to convert water into hydrogen and carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide. What they do: Aether Diamonds USA Country: 2019 Founding year: The company claims to have produced the world’s first diamonds made from air. Aether Diamonds offers sustainable jewelry featuring precious stones that were created in the lab setting using captured CO2. While their mined analogs cause irreparable damage to our planet because of the harmful extraction process, the lab-manufactured diamonds contribute to reducing global warming without compromising their beauty. What they do: ✅ Maximise the potential of alternative energy resources It’s not all about wind turbines and solar energy panels – there’s much more to alternative energy resources that are yet to be discovered and scaled. Various ways of extracting clean fuels and sustainable electricity from repurposed waste processed CO2, and other non-traditional sources provide an array of different niches for startups to take over. While many of the existing technologies for alternative energy extraction are still relatively hard to scale, the growing number of such solutions gives hope for the massive adoption of these technologies in the future. Startups to watch: EH Group Switzerland Country: 2017 Founding year: EH Group explores the green fuel cell technology that transforms the chemical energy of hydrogen cells into sustainable electricity. The company focuses on making compact solutions suitable for mobile and automotive applications that are sensitive to the weight and volume of the devices’ details. What they do: Carbo Culture Finland Country: 2016 Founding year: Carbo Culture has introduced a technology for converting waste biomass into carbon-negative charcoal. The startup prevents the release of CO2 from decomposing plants into the atmosphere by transforming them into biochar and generating usable heat. What they do: Liquid Wind Sweden Country: 2017 Founding year: The company produces a special type of alternative fuel – eMethanol, a liquid fuel made from carbon dioxide and renewable electricity. The company is currently developing its first commercial-scale eMethanol facility in Sweden. What they do: ✅ Make green technologies more accessible to consumers Many eco-friendly technologies are targeting the problems caused by various industrial processes. Meanwhile, we shouldn’t underestimate the input of each household into climate change. It isn’t fair, however, to expect people to invest in solutions that cost far more than their traditional alternatives. Consumer-friendly technologies for utilizing natural clean energy resources, home-based recycling activities and other things that make our everyday life greener are on the rise – and so are their cost-effective variations. Startups to watch: Elfrosun Technologies India Country: 2018 Founding year: Elfrosun Technologies is making solar panels for households more affordable for the population – which especially makes sense considering that the company is heavily focused on its home market, India. Elfrosun raises awareness about the benefits of solar power to gain more recognition and generate interest in the technology. What they do: Aeroshield USA Country: 2019 Founding year: How often do we think about the role of windows in climate change? Yet apparently the way we regulate the temperature in our homes can be transformed by the right technology that will help us preserve the thermal comfort in our homes. This startup develops affordable energy-efficient windows for every household. What they do: Sensorflow Singapore Country: 2016 Founding year: Is it possible to make our leisure travels more environmentally friendly? Yes – and Sensorflow does its best to help. The company provides smart solutions for hotel management and maintenance, saving up to 30% of each facility’s energy costs while reducing the carbon footprint of each hotel room and its inhabitants. What they do: Raising awareness and providing simple instruments for calculating the carbon footprint It’s hard to be conscious about your carbon footprint when you don’t have a clear idea of how exactly your actions contribute to generating CO2 – and this equally applies to businesses and individuals. Software solutions and apps that help us track our CO2 input, just as reliable sources of information that help us find out how to be more environmentally conscious, play an important role in making our future a better place. Startups to watch: Sync Energy AI USA Country: 2016 Founding year: The startup offers an AI-based predictive software platform for insurance and energy professionals. Sync Energy provides a powerful tool for recreating complex simulations for planning electrical utilities in various conditions, including natural disasters. What they do: Evocco Ireland Country: 2017 Founding year: Evocco is a smart app for helping consumers make the most our of their environmentally-friendly grocery shopping. The tool helps you find the most nutritious food for your everyday cooking with the lowest potential carbon footprint. What they do: Plan A Germany Country: 2019 Founding year: Plan A is one of the many startups that strive to facilitate carbon accounting for businesses. Yet it’s one of the few ones that have created a genuinely convenient platform for measuring, monitoring, and reducing carbon emissions along with providing quality ESG reporting. What they do: Also published . here

Top 21 Startups That Are Committed to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

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