Best match

Most recent

Postoplan, Novakid and Backblaze. "We are delighted with our portfolio companies' performance since the beginning of the year, which has sustained the trend of positive revaluations and cash ...

Tmt Investments Share News (TMT)

London South East

Get the most recent info and news about Postoplan on HackerNoon, where 10k+ technologists publish stories for 4M+ monthly readers.

Postoplan

44,000 startups. 4,553 cities. “4 billion votes” It was such a blessing to get to know so many of your ideas and innovations from every corner of the world in 2021. The startup community amazed all of us with your hard work and persistence despite all of the challenges that we faced globally throughout last year. Not gonna lie, the competition got our hearts racing like Eurovision. We won’t let you wait for much longer, below are long-awaited results! ✨✨✨ To see who is a winner in each respective city, visit and pick a city. The name at the top of the list is the winner. (Compromised awards are under review.) startups.hackernoon.com The will announce the winners per region in their respective cities. Startups Winners Announcement Series 🔥 Central Europe Central Europe has always caught our attention with the talented pool of people in tech community. But were they able to get through 2021 despite the pandemic? Let’s cheers to the most outstanding amongst 4,500+ startups who have been working hard this year: Basel, Switzerland An overwhelming vote for ~ in their mission of helping machinery companies drive more service revenues from their installed base MachiQ Software Berlin, Germany We have with a whooping 538 votes! Let’s support Plan A with its mission to help companies to measure, monitor and reduce their environmental footprint. Plan A Düsseldorf, Germany It doesn’t get any easier with Kicking off in helping people organize online schedules more easily. EasyWeek! Geneva, Switzerland Manage code quality? We have to give props to for their startup! SonarSource Hamburg, Germany Taking over Hamburg is , an acoustic device to reduce noises in vehicle cabins. No more annoying sounds on the road 🚗 ReCalm Köln, Germany Small business? Hoping to manage your marketing campaign? is winning the vote! rankingCoach Lausanne, Switzerland is a Swiss-based company focused on cryptocurrency management solutions built for financial institutions. Metaco Leipzig, Germany empowers companies to operate and utilize drones for the most effective industrial data applications. FlyNex Mainz, Germany is growing sustainable digital mobility startups! Next Mobility Labs Munich, Germany wins for top-line, high-security international Identity Management! ORY Stuttgart, Germany Remote desktop application? Ask anywhere. AnyDesk Vienna, Austria , an IT company enabling privacy-preserving big data applications in the digital age. Mostly AI Zug, Switzerland Way to go 1762 votes for the first provably live pure Proof-of-Stake (PoS) CBC-Casper blockchain designed for real-world applications. CasperLabs! Nyon Calling for robust data solutions for impact-driven organizations! Havuta LLC Zürich is revolutionizing small business lending to give easy access to capital to those who need it most: SMEs ✨ Teylor Heidelberg, Germany is an innovative HR startup providing a solution for fast and efficient recruiting of employees with simple job profiles. Talk'n'Job Stuttgart, Germany Congratulations for winning this title! AnyDesk Moving on to our buddies in... 🔥 Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is home to many familiar big names in our start-up world. Trace history for Miro, Telegram, and Grammarly and you know where they are from. Who is the next generation for Eastern European startups? Budapest, Hungary is a platform for mobile app development, enabling tens of thousands of developers to automate integration, testing, and deployment. Bitrise I__ __ stanbul, Turkey Leading here is - a brand new software intelligence platform- helps organizations deliver faster, high-quality products by connecting their DevOps tools. Oobeya Kraków, Poland is a human cloud platform that connects global enterprises with European software houses, offering tech talent as a service. Talent Alpha Kyiv, Ukraine 281 votes for , an AI powered app where people can swap faces in the videos, GIFs and images in just a few seconds. Reface Sofia, Bulgaria 387 votes for __ __378, leading Blockchain and DLT solutions company that specializes in helping enterprises and blockchain startups design, build and scale innovative solutions using Blockchain & DLT! LimeChain Warsaw, Poland is a next-generation blockchain document management software (DMS). DoxyChain Yerevan, Armenia Whoever clicked to vote for was sure a vote, because it ended up winning as a full-service software provider delivering Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning solutions for businesses. SmartClick smart Almaty Just like the name suggested, provides one pass to dozens of gyms and studios. 1FIT Debrecen got all the coders ranked figured out! CodersRank Kharkiv is complete solution digital assets management! Pics.io Minsk, Belarus with 243 votes is the first blockchain-powered sports media platform. Scorum Moscow, Russian Federation 1 e-grocery company in Russia with 26 votes and #1 on our HackerNoon board for Minsk. SberMarket Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation leads this area as a personal finance application that rewards responsible spending and savings. CoinKeeper Kazan, Russian Federation Smelling a sweet victory? 3d App designers for flower bouquets is in the house! Flowito Western Europe 🔥 Brexit? Pandemic? It seems like startups in Western Europe still keep their spirits regardless. Startups in Western Europe that stood out in votes this year go to: Antwerp is on a streak! As a bug bounty platform, it ensures online security through a crowd-sourced platform for computer experts. intigriti Belfast A record-breaking 10,003 votes? is an independent coffee shop. Come grab a coffee! Bobs & Berts Birmingham What’s happening in Birmingham? We have , an innovative UK-based advanced lithium battery developer aiming to accelerate the global shift to cleaner. Aceleron Bordeaux 30 is an open-source web framework for building modern apps and websites with Vue.js. NuxtJS Boulogne-billancourt is a software company that provides an in-store analytics platform to optimize operations. DiGEiZ Brighton In for some jam? offers musical education services. BIMM Bristol Another tasty victory for Western Europe is enabling the strongest digital encryption on the internet. KETS Quantum Security Brussels A fashionable win for , a social fashion network. You scan barcodes in fashion shops and see every influencer wearing those outfits! Share your wishlist with your friends and earn cashback. SCANDALOOK Cardiff is a technology company developing end-to-end digital connectivity for the point-of-care diagnostics market. Bond Digital Health London A whooping number of 1085 vote__ __ offers hardware based cyber-security solution for authentication and encryption in a wired local network. Crypto Quantique Edinburgh Hopping up on the crypto movement, just launched last year but they are already rocking it at making crypto accessible to everyone. Zumo Ghent 5379 votes for ! A Belgian InsurTech startup that helps insurance providers all over the world to better connect with their digital customers. WeGroup Glasgow specializes in single-cell analysis transforming the life sciences. Biomage Paris Show some love in the city of love for , a sports platform that is connected to a mobile sports coaching application. AirFit Aberystwyth enables artificial intelligence, data science & digital innovation solutions for the agriculture, biotech & life sciences industries. Agxio Norwich Congratulations for the amazing win of 1124 votes! WATR Charleroi Congratulations for your amazing win! Hirering Gibraltar Give a round of applause to Fortknoxter! Waltham Abbey is ruling the area with its amazing 72 votes! RPAIR Antwerpen Rocking up Antwerpen area is the rising startup ! Willow Egham What’s happening in Egham? Proudly announcing winning the Noonies this year! ATA.ONE Leicester Leicester is calling the name of as the winner for the region! DeadHappy Macclesfield Who else but ? Congratulations on dominating the award! AeroCloud Northern Europe 🔥 Want to listen to some music? Spotify. Need some games to kill time? Candy Crush. What about a quick call to someone you haven’t seen in a long time? Skype. These are all startups that originated from Northern Europe! Noonies, let’s take a look at the upcoming generation of startups from Northern Europe that hopefully will see an even bigger and brighter future. Gothenburg, Sweden Shipping was never made for small shippers, so took on the mission to built an end-to-end logistics platform to empower small businesses to spend less time and money on shipping and more time on growing their businesses. Sendify The Netherlands provides a virtual platform for many kinds of conferences and events. Let's Get Digital Helsinki, Finland A curated collection of public basketball courts in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area called . Everyone is welcome to submit to their local court. Koripallopaikat Lund, Sweden develops an antibiotic-free, safe and effective treatment of vaginal fungal infections. Gedea Biotech Luxembourg, Luxembourg 🚀 is a job-matching platform that connects developers and tech experts with CTOs and team leads from the best tech companies across Europe. 👾 nexten.io Malmö, Sweden Feeling studious, Noonies? __ __e is a tool for Google Classroom, that enables formative matrix assessment towards course learning objectives directly. StudyBe Oslo, Norway is the platform supports a unified API across all connected device categories, removing significant friction for app developers. Domos Labs Reykjavík, Iceland __ __s is a mobile-first technologically advanced neo-bank. Indo service #S__ __ tockholm, Sweden is the biggest blockchain start-up in Sweden. Double winner of the most prestigious nomination in Nordics 'NyTeknik 33-listan', winner of the Deloitte Fast 50, and now Noonies Award! ChromaWay AB T__ __ allinn, Estonia Passing 1000 votes is a fully digital and decentralized ecosystem for all actors in supply chain. OBORTECH Vilnius, Lithuania is an easy-to-use money app for cards and accounts. Via Genome, users can open a business or a merchant account or a personal one with dedicated IBANs, access transfers, exchange currency, process payments, and manage the funds. Genome Aalborg Digura A legaltech offering tenants fast, digital and reliable legal assistance Aarhus Partisia Market Design provides secure, simple, efficient solutions for auctions and exchanges realizing the potential of the market. Helsingborg is a hi-tech company developing cardiac occlusion devices and other vascular implants. Occlutech Tallinna is an AI-powered system for marketing automation in social networks. POSTOPLAN 🔥 Southern Europe Southern Europe’s economy went through a hard time this year due to a huge reduction in tourism. But our startups are of course always headstrong, from Spain to Italy and all the way through Greece. Who are the heroes rising amidst changes of Southern Europe? Skopje is a versatile software development company that solves the business challenges of SMBs, big brands, and brave hearts with awesome ideas. CodeChem Sliema Sounds like just a relaxing exhale. is a holistic health and wellbeing app built to allow users work on the development of their physical, mental and spiritual health Few Tajonar is a company of experienced business & industry entrepreneurs offering solutions to industries based on cutting-edge technologies. das-Nano Tarragona is a technology-based company focusing on the production of integrated microsystems. IMICROQ Terni is an ICT-based integrated solution that is able to modulate, respond, assist and learn to control most home activities. Mind Tirana is a video content and e-commerce platform for the Balkans built on top of an Albanian language specialized search engine. Gjirafa Torino develops and commercializes algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence to increase the autonomy of small satellite missions. AIKO T__ __ orres Buy online groceries like you would buy offline with personalized picking as fast as in 4 hours with Vedras 360hyper! Trento is a music-based platform built around streaming platforms that allow users to discover new emerging artists and make new friends. Brots 2021, what a YEAR. Congratulations to all of the startups that made it to the top winning list for Europe! Stay tuned for Startup awards in 2022 and let’s cheers to a new year of more innovative ideas, bold innovations, and robust creations from you, Europe 🌷 More Information: If you’re a winner, please answer ! If you’re a reader, participant, just a curious individual, consider answering one of our interviews . this interview here Read the FAQs about or . Startups here here To see all of the winners you may visit , pick any city and view the name that appears at the top. this site If you’re interested in partnering with us, we invite you to look through some of these or reach out to our business department. unique sponsorship options Perhaps creating your very own tickles your fancy or maybe you have a whole new idea for how we can partner! writing contest Thank you to all of our sponsors! We truly appreciate your contribution to the tech world and thus the future! The Startups Awards are sponsored by: , , , , , , , , , , Blockster Brex FreeCodeCamp LaunchDarkly Coil Udacity Udemy Vercel Asia Pacific Transgender Network Bybit Everscale Network This post was written by An Le and edited by Natasha Nel. If you have any questions or concerns or would like to report a discrepancy please email ellen@hackernoon.com.

Meet the Winners of Startups in Europe

#Noonies2021 Awards: The List of Winners in the Technology Category

So far, 800 million people worldwide use the TikTok video streaming app for entertainment and connection, and 12.5% of them, 100 million, are Americans. After President Donald Trump said on July 31 that he planned to bar the Chinese-owned social media app from operating in the US, he reversed course, saying he would allow TikTok to keep operating if it were sold to an American owner. Microsoft is one of the companies most likely to buy the app. The possible acquisition will allow the software company to compete with Facebook and Google-owned YouTube and attract a younger audience. Like many other social media apps, TikTok is not just about entertainment and funny videos. It’s a powerful instrument for influencers, opinion leaders, and enterprises to gain followers and audience loyalty and to broadcast their ideas worldwide. The TikTok optimism helped millions of Americans connect and express themselves during the difficult pandemic times, and now, platform users are to be denied this opportunity. This is why the reaction to the ban was so strong among TikTok users and why people started keeping eye on the acquisition news and searching for possible alternatives. But is it actually possible for other streaming apps to take the place of TikTok? The TikTok secret: The power of zoomer creativity In 2019, TikTok outperformed social media giants such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook and became the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store, with more than 33 million downloads. The platform boosts user engagement by launching challenges and providing a wide range of filters and music-syncing options that can be applied to user videos. Furthermore, it uses AI algorithms to optimize content creation, curation, and recommendations. This makes TikTok a mixture of Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook: video content with music that can be improved through filters and has recommendations. According to the information shared by Postoplan , more than 40% of the TikTok audience are zoomers, and the app has the highest average engagement rate (ER) of all studied social media sites, at 14.87%. These facts are interdependent: “The TikTok secret is that it was initially developed for generation Z teenagers. This generation is addicted to mobile devices, lacks offline communication, and yearns for recognition. They use the app multiple times a day and are engaged in new online activities – that’s how the high ER can be explained,” says Postoplan CEO Alex Bozhin. Nevertheless, only 7% of businesses connected to Postoplan started using TikTok for business goals because, for a pretty long time, the app provided limited promotion prospects. However, after the TikTok Ads Manager was launched in Q1 2020, the situation is likely to change. Searching for TikTok alternatives So far, TikTok is available in over 150 countries, with India, China, and the US being the largest markets for the app. In late June 2020, TikTok and 59 other Chinese mobile apps were banned in India. Now the same ban is possible in the United States. The reason for these bans in the two countries is the same: TikTok is accused of illegal personal data usage, which threatens the national security of the respective countries. As TikTok has formed a demand for this type of video-streaming app in the US market, its ban opens up new opportunities for TikTok competitors from the United States or Europe that are unlikely to be banned in the future: byte, Dubsmash, Funimate, Triller, and Instagram Reels. is the second-largest video streaming app in the US, with 27% of the country’s short-form video market share by installs and 100 million users globally, according to . As the platform has always been overshadowed by TikTok, it is commonly considered a ground zero for new influencers and creators. Dubsmash doesn’t have that many stars, and that’s why people feel comfortable when they record and stream videos. Dubsmash App Annie ’s main advantage over TikTok is that it has no restrictions on video styles: slow motion, video compilations, loops, lip-syncing, etc. With 40 million users worldwide, Funimate is often described as a video-editing and -streaming app, and the company focuses on providing users with vast flexibility in creating short videos. The seventh-largest video app in the US, Funimate is widely used just for editing videos, and the content created with this app is then shared on other social media. Funimate Launched in 2015, is an AI-powered video-editing app with 26.5 million users. On Triller, people can film themselves doing different things, and the app will automatically compile the best moments to create a music video. The app focuses on creativity, authenticity, and content creation through remixing – just like TikTok does. But these apps are not the same. On Triller, users can listen to entire music tracks, whereas TikTok users have to put up with a 15-second restriction. Furthermore, Triller is integrated with other music libraries such as Apple Music or Spotify, whereas TikTok has its own library. That means TikTok is much more ambitious in its attempt to disrupt the music industry, whereas Triller collaborates with existing market participants. Triller The is an American social video-streaming platform founded by the co-founder of Vine and described as Vine 2.0. Launched in January 2020, byte got over 1.3 million downloads within the first week, with U.S. users accounting for 70%. Byte is a direct competitor of TikTok with one great advantage: it provides monetization options for creators. The app shares the revenue gained from advertising among the top 100 influencers and creators, and the current TikTok ban has spurred on a popularity increase for byte in the US. byte app This short comparison would not be complete without mentioning , a short video-sharing app by Facebook that was a copycat app of TikTok and was shut down on July 10, 2020. This service was directly competing with TikTok but never gained popularity even though it was launched by a social media giant. The reason Facebook shut down Lasso was to focus on a shift to the feature. This new service was first launched in Brazil and then expanded to France and Germany and now is available in over 50 countries. Its concept is pretty similar to that of Lasso and TikTok: Instagram Reels was launched in the US on August 5, and the possible TikTok ban is likely to work in Reels’ favor. Lasso Instagram Reels In conclusion, the prospect of TikTok being banned is a nightmare scenario for many teens in the US. The possible Microsoft acquisition would grant the software company millions of grateful youth as well as new opportunities on the social media platform market. President Trump said that he will wait until September 15 to take action on TikTok, and the current uncertainty in the video app’s future opens new opportunities for TikTok competitors to seize the moment and scale up their user base.

A Chance for Emerging Video-Sharing Apps: What Happens If TikTok Is Banned in the US?

Unlike the inert corporations that take a long time to approve and implement any processes, startups enjoy unique opportunities to make their product global and quickly enter any market. Startups are more flexible, and they adapt to any audience quicker. The important thing is to know what you’ll need at the start of scaling your businesses. Let me share three important lessons that I’ve learned from my experience of working with 147 countries. Universal UI/UX is not a myth Entering global markets is difficult because your product must be liked by everyone, therefore you should keep your product’s potential markets in mind right from the start. First, organize focus groups. This is precisely what we did: we used Upwork to contact 10 marketing professionals from different countries (Spain, United States, UK, and so on), tested the interface with them prior to the launch, and recorded all their comments. There were some differences, of course, but we gleaned some common insights as well. Using these insights, we adapted the interface to find a common denominator while keeping the cross-cultural differences in mind. Such tests are important because if you make an app for the U.S. market, it may prove to be not user-friendly for the European one. For the Asian or Arabic market, such an interface might end up being completely baffling. Quantifying Visual Preferences Around the World does a great job demonstrating in full detail how different countries vary in their preferences for the visuals and the color scheme. There are cultural sensitivities to keep in mind as well (such as the different interpretations of the same gesture), so you really need to study every market in detail to find ways to avoid any potential troubles. research Creating a product that will be equally liked in the U.S., England, and Australia is practically impossible. The users’ mentality in each of the countries has pretty much been set in stone, while your startup is only now appearing on the international market. This is why everyone looks up to Airbnb, Bolt, and Uber as the most successful case studies. Second, use the design patterns that follow certain established rules. For example, a link must always be underlined, and in any country, the user will know that they must tap there to open a page in a new window. Settings are always located in the top right corner, so don’t move that item down just because you want to – the new users are unlikely to find it, because there are straightforward navigation patterns that are already in place. There are growth opportunities in all 195 countries Don’t limit yourself to the United States as your only market. Even if you want to become Silicon Valley’s best-known startup, there are different ways of getting there. Looking for your entry point, consider all the countries and winnow the list down using your personal criteria. Look at the market size and the size of your specific segment, look at the audience. Personally, we discovered the Spanish-speaking market as our growth and reference point that we used to scale our business. And we were based out of Estonia, which was named the best country for startups in 2018. Choose the markets that fit your criteria and begin to test the process of building an audience. Thanks to Facebook and its targeting capabilities, such things can be done almost free of charge. Don’t create an MVP for each market. We set up targeted advertising in 15 different countries at once and got very different results. In the US, for example, the cost of customer acquisition was very high, and in India, we got excellent feedback and cost of registration, but the rate of conversion to paying users was low. In the end, we chose the Spanish-speaking market. Don’t be afraid to hire local consultants who know everything about the market to help you choose which ones to test. They will give you pointers that you wouldn’t find on your own: for example, in India, everyone uses local services and it’s very important to enable local payment systems. And this is more of a cultural issue than a matter of preference. Or the fact that WhatsApp is Mexico’s most popular messenger. You can find this information on your own, but first, you need to know what to look for, and second, you’ll lose lots of valuable time in the process. A Multicultural team is an important part of your success This point is directly related to the things we discussed earlier. You must hire local experts because they know a lot about the specific market. About its laws, legal and financial intricacies, cultural nuances, and overall mentality. All of these are important for a startup to learn about its audience and preserve its good reputation. Without knowing the specifics of the local laws, it’s possible to make a critical mistake in the process of financial transactions or registering the company and launching your business. If you don’t hire experts from different countries, you are unlikely to create a truly successful product. The second reason why you need a multicultural team as you scale your operations is that users want to have support 24/7. This is difficult to do if you work in New York and New Delhi, but all your users are in Moscow and London. Our employees live in 18 different countries spread over the globe. This is done precisely so that we can ensure constant live user support. The ideal situation is when your developers speak the languages of your markets of presence. A developer who only speaks English will have a hard time adapting the product for Spanish-speaking audiences. Try to break down your teams and their supervisors by country. A multicultural team entails remote work, and that type of operation has its own aspects to consider. Remote work can be effective, but only if you have a clear understanding of how your operations are organized and how to monitor all the processes. Excess of control forces employees to resign, and its lack leads to problems with performance. Make sure to spend enough time finding the optimal arrangement for working with your team and the best tools for communication and performance monitoring.

3 Lessons I’ve Learned Leading My Startup to Global Markets

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY

Imposter syndrome is a nightmare to tackle. Not only that, but it’s the murderer of hopes and aspirations; “she believed she couldn’t, so she didn’t.” Think about it: if you had no doubts and no fears, how much further along in your career would you be right now? How many chances would you have taken? How many opportunities would you have seized? While it hurts to think about all the shots we didn’t take, it’s the only way to move forward. Helping us conquer imposter syndrome is an Aussie entrepreneur and podcasting sensation: Doone Roisin. Today’s guest interviewee is a true firecracker — she’s an entrepreneur through and through, never failing to make an impression with her effervescent personality, warmth, and down-to-earth attitude. But, as Doone shared in her interview, she wasn’t always so confident. Her own imposter syndrome held her back during school, and it was only once she overcame this self-doubt that her career began to thrive. Let’s take a deep dive into imposter syndrome and how we can overcome it to achieve our goals. Imposter syndrome: where it began In 1978, researchers called The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. They described the phenomenon like this: conducted a study “Women who experience the impostor phenomenon maintain a strong belief that they are not intelligent; in fact, they are convinced that they have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise. For example, students often fantasize that they were mistakenly admitted to graduate school because of an error by the admissions committee. Numerous women graduate students state their high examination scores are due to luck, to misgrading, or to the faulty judgment of professors. Women professionals in our sample feel over evaluated by colleagues and administrators.” The ’70s saw some improvements for women, but it’s no wonder that imposter syndrome was rampant. This was the time when women were breaking through glass ceilings and entering male-dominated fields, only to feel like frauds once they got there (thanks to damaging societal messages). Although we have moved forward since then, we are not perfect and the societal messaging that impacts us (and women) from a young age can still be damaging, and although society as a whole tries to be better, imposter syndrome still very much exists. It’s something that plagued Doone, as well as many other incredible woman entrepreneurs and business leaders. So how do we fix this? Well first, let’s describe it. What is imposter syndrome, exactly? ‘Fraud’ is the perfect way to describe how we feel when we’re crippled by imposter syndrome. We feel like we’re not good enough, that someone will eventually find out that we don’t belong and that we’ve been fooling everyone all along. is a fear of being exposed and failing despite our best efforts. It’s the fear of being ‘found out’ and it can manifest in different ways: Imposter syndrome Doubting our own abilitiesFeeling like a fraud or phonyBelieving that we’re not as good as others think we areThe constant worry that we’ll be exposed as a fraud These fears can lead to anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and even suicide. Imposter syndrome is incredibly damaging and it can hold us back from achieving our goals. Doone Roisin: a true entrepreneurial success story Before delving into some solutions, let’s interlude with a few golden nuggets from my interview with Doone Roisin. Doone Roisin is the founder and host of the popular podcast, . As a digital marketing expert, she’s worked for global brands such as Snapchat, IMG, and The Iconic — Australia’s largest online retailer. As an entrepreneur, she has launched her own companies, including a direct-to-consumer jewelry brand, Kincs, and the educational media company Female Startup Club. Female Startup Club Having interviewed over 160 of the world’s most exciting (and successful!) female entrepreneurs in the last 12 months, she’s on a global mission to motivate, inspire and advance women-in-progress. Talk about women empowerment — that’s quite a lineup of credentials! But where Doone’s story all began might surprise you. From Australian bushland to entrepreneurial success When you think of the stereotypical entrepreneur, who comes to mind? Is it the city-goer who started out with a trust fund and an MBA? A young computer geek who struck it big with the first company he founded? Doone is none of these. Her story starts in the Australian bush, where she was raised without electricity in a town of roughly ninety people. She was the only person in her class at school. “We lived in this tiny pocket of the world on the side of a mountain by a creek. It was circumstantial — not necessarily by choice. And so we had this very unique upbringing…I would say it was more about survival than thriving.” Unfortunately for Doone, this was perhaps the beginnings of her imposter syndrome. “I was a bit embarrassed about that part of my story. I had this weird feeling about it because it seemed like I lived this way when other people didn’t live this way.” Moving into her early teen years, however, Doone was sent away to a private school where she was embraced by new friends and new opportunities. “I was suddenly surrounded by a lot of people who were different to me and had a really different upbringing. And this is where I kind of had this weird shame around the way that I’d been brought up, when compared to the way that these people had been brought up. And then I started to have all these big ambitions.” But it also showed me what was possible. The shift wasn’t without its hardships, though. “For the first six months, I really struggled. I was just out of place, I would say — not in terms of the people surrounding me, because I was welcomed into the school. But it was odd. I guess when you’re in those weird positions, you’ve just gotta find your fate and keep moving forward.” From there, Doone took her hit of inspiration and ran with it — never once looking back. Taking life by the horns Something that struck me about Doone’s story as I interviewed her was the determination with which she charged through life. She resorted to innovation at every turn, whether it was in landing her first job or launching her startup ventures. (Yes, this is where I’ll plug the podcast. If you haven’t given Doone’s story a listen, I really can’t recommend it enough! Find the full clip .) here To give you a general idea, here’s a quick rundown of some of her best efforts: To land an internship at a local magazine, Doone dressed as a delivery person and snuck into the director’s office with her business card and a potplant. Long story short, the director was impressed — and she secured a 12-month internship for her efforts.Several years later, Doone took an unconventional approach to her job application at a graphic design agency. Instead of emailing her portfolio, she turned it into a physical poster — sparkles, paint, and all — and stuck it on the building door. (She got the job).Doone moved to an entirely new city in the space of three weeks in order to pursue a job at fashion startup ICONIC, which is now one of Australia’s largest online clothing retailers. What I see in each of these stories is innovation. It’s the confidence to take risks, to think outside the box, and to hustle for what you want. Remember how I asked what you think of when picturing an entrepreneur? Scrap the spoon-fed MBA graduate and replace them with Doone — a woman who has battled imposter syndrome and come out on top. Solutions for conquering imposter syndrome I know what you’re thinking: where can you find the confidence to paint sparkles on your resume, or to dress up like a delivery person in order to score an internship? This kind of confidence can only be found in the absence of self-doubt, and that’s what I want to focus on for the remainder of this newsletter: how to ditch the imposter syndrome for good. The power of self-belief Often, we underestimate just how important it is to believe in ourselves. It’s probably because ‘believe in yourself!’ is such an overused phrase that it has become cheesy at best, dismissive at worst. But the truth is, You could have your whole family backing you, along with all of your friends — an entire army of people who believe in your ability to succeed — but if you don’t believe in yourself, it won’t matter. self-belief is essential for achieving success. Think back to a time when you were thoroughly prepared for a task, but your self-doubt got the better of you. A common example is speech making: you might have rehearsed your presentation a hundred times, but as soon as you walk onto the stage, all of that preparation goes out the window. The nerves take over, and all of your carefully planned words desert you. That’s imposter syndrome in action: the voice in your head that tells you that you’re not good enough, that you’re a fraud, and that someone is going to catch on sooner or later. Increasing self-belief: step-by-step If your self-esteem is at an all-time low, don’t panic. It’s not an overnight process, but with a bit of effort, you can start to increase your self-belief. Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. Recognize and reflect upon your achievements. For high-achievers in particular, past successes often get brushed to the wayside in favor of focusing on what still needs to be done. But it’s important to take a step back and reflect on all the things you’ve already achieved. It could be something as simple as getting up on time every day for the past week or completing a project at work ahead of schedule. Once you’ve recognized your achievements, take some time to reflect on why they were successful. What did you do that was different this time? What can you replicate in the future? 2. Adopt a growth mindset. Have you heard of a growth mindset? It’s the belief that , as opposed to a fixed mindset which believes that you are born with a certain level of intelligence and abilities which cannot be changed. intelligence and abilities can be developed over time between those with a fixed mindset and imposter syndrome. This makes sense: if you believe you have no hope of improving or developing, failure is a paralyzing thought. Research shows a clear link On the other hand, those with a growth mindset see failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. They’re more likely to take risks because they know that even if they fail, they can always learn from their mistakes. 3. Fake it until you make it. Let’s learn from Doone on this one. If you don’t believe in yourself, act like you do. This is a technique often used by high-achievers, and it’s based on the idea that your behaviors eventually become habits. So if you act confident, even when you don’t feel it, over time that confidence will start to become a reality. This is a great strategy for public speaking, networking, and any other situation where you feel your self-doubt creeping in. 4. Surround yourself with positive people. As the saying goes, ‘you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with’. If you want to be successful, it’s important to surround yourself with people who have a positive outlook on life and who believe in your ability to achieve great things. This can be difficult if you don’t have any close friends or family members who fall into this category, but there are plenty of online communities and forums where you can find like-minded individuals. 5. Use visualization techniques. Visualization is a technique often used by athletes and businesspeople alike, and there’s a good reason for that: it works. The premise is simple: you picture yourself achieving your desired outcome, in as much detail as possible. This could be a video clip of yourself giving a presentation and receiving applause from the audience, or it could be a snapshot of you celebrating after completing a marathon. The more detail you can include in your visualization, the better. The aim is to create an experience that’s so real, it feels like you’re living it. These are just a few strategies to start you off on your journey to conquering imposter syndrome. But remember, it’s not an easy process — and it takes time and effort to see results. So be patient, stay positive, and keep working at it. Wrap-Up As someone in the entrepreneurial space, imposter syndrome isn’t a new concept to me — but it’s one I love to talk about. I hate to think of all the brilliant minds that have never reached their full potential because they’ve been held back by self-doubt. I hope this article has given you some tools to start increasing your self-belief. Remember, it’s a process. These things are often deeply rooted in the way you were raised and the things you were taught to believe about yourself. But it’s never too late to start changing your mindset, and with a bit of effort, you can start to see results. And if you need a bit of extra inspiration? Doone’s interview is a blast, I can assure you. Check it out . here Until next time! Also Published Here

Conquering Imposter Syndrome for Success

Infinite code smells! We see several symptoms and situations that make us doubt the quality of our development. Let's look at some possible solutions. Most of these smells are just hints of something that might be wrong. They are not rigid rules. Previous Code Smells Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII Part VIII Part IX Part X Part XI Part XII Part XIII Part XIV Let's continue... Code Smell 71 - Magic Floats Disguised as Decimals TL;DR Don't trust numbers on immature languages like JavaScript. Problems Violation Principle of Least Surprise Accidental Complexity Wrong decimal representations. Solutions Choose Mature Languages. Represent . Decimals with Decimals Sample Code Wrong console.log(0.2 + 0.1) 
// 0.30000000000000004

//We are adding two decimal numbers
// 2/10  +  1/10 
// Result should be 3/10 as we learnt at school Right class Decimal {
  constructor(numerator) {
    this.numerator = numerator;    
  }
   plus(anotherDecimal) {
      return new Decimal(this.numerator + anotherDecimal.numerator);
  }
   toString() {
      return "0." + this.numerator;
   }}     
  
console.log((new Decimal(2).plus(new Decimal(1))).toString());
// 0.3

//We can represent the numbers with a Decimal class (storing only the numerator)
//or with a generic Fraction class (storing both the numerator and denominator) Detection Since this is a language feature, it is difficult to detect. We can ask our linters to prevent us from manipulating numbers this way. Tags JavaScript Premature Optimization Conclusion My first programming language was 's basic back in 1985. Commodore 64 I was very surprised to discover that 1+1+1 was not always 3. Then they introduced integer types. JavaScript is 30 years younger, and it has the same immaturity problems. More info Here is the technical (and accidental) explanation: https://blog.pankajtanwar.in/do-you-know-01-02-03-in-javascript-here-is-why Please, don't argue telling this is fine and expected since this is the binary representation. These numbers are decimals, we should represent them as decimals. If you think representing them as floats is a great performance improvement, you are wrong. Premature optimization is the root of all evil. Floating Point Standard - 83 pages The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers - Richard Hamming Code Smell 72 - Return Codes APIs, Return codes, C Programming Language, We've all been there. TL;DR: Don't return codes to yourself. Raise Exceptions. Problems IFs Code Polluting Outdated documentation Coupling to accidental codes. Functional logic polluted. Solutions Change Ids and return Generic Exceptions. Distinguish Happy Path from Exception Path. Sample Code Wrong function createSomething(arguments) {
    //Magic Creation
    success = false; //we failed

    //We failed to create
    if (!success) {
        return {
            object: null,
            errorCode: 403,
            errorDescription: 'We didnt have permddtttttttttission to create...'
        };
    }

    return {
        object: createdObject,
        errorCode: 400,
        errorDescription: ''
    };
}

var myObject = createSomething('argument');
if (myObject.errorCode != 400) {
    console.log(myObject.errorCode + ' ' + myObject.errorDescription)
}
//but myObject does not hold My Object but an implementative
//and accidental array 
//from now on me need to remember this Right function createSomething(arguments) {
    //Magic Creation
    success = false; //we failed

    //We failed to create
    if (!success) {
        throw new Error('We didnt have permission to create...');
    }

    return createdObject;
}

try {
    var myObject = createSomething('argument');
    //no IFS, just happy path
} catch (exception) {
    //deal with it!
    console.log(exception.message);
}
// myObject holds my expected object Detection We can teach our linters to find patterns of integer and strings returns coupled with ifs and return checking. Tags Exceptions Conclusion Ids and codes are external identifiers. They are useful when you need to interact with an external system (for example an API Rest). We should not use them on our own systems and our own internal APIs. Create and raise generic exceptions. Only create specific exceptions if you are ready to handle them, and they have specialized behavior. Don't create Exceptions. anemic Avoid favoring return codes. immature and premature optimized languages More info https://hackernoon.com/how-to-get-rid-of-annoying-ifs-forever-zuh3zlo http://nicolecarpenter.github.io/2016/03/15/clean-code-chapter-7-error-handling.html Error handling is important, but if it obscures logic, it’s wrong - Robert Martin Code Smell 73 - Exceptions for Expected Cases Exceptions are handy Gotos and flags. Let's abuse them. TL;DR: Do not use exceptions for flow control. Problems Readability Principle of least astonishment Violation. Solutions Use Exceptions just for unexpected situations. Exceptions handle . Read the contract. contract violations Sample Code Wrong try {
	for (int i = 0;; i++)
		array[i]++;
	} catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e) {}

//Endless loop without end condition Right for (int index = 0; index < array.length; index++)
		array[index]++;

//index < array.length breaks execution Detection This is a semantic smell. Unless we use machine learning linters it will be very difficult to find the mistakes. Tags Readability Conclusion Exceptions are handy, and we should definitively use them instead of returning codes. The boundary between correct usage and wrong usage is blur like so many design principles. Relations Code Smell 72 - Return Codes More info Don't use exceptions for flow control Java Zone Stack Exchange Stack Overflow When debugging, novices insert corrective code; experts remove defective code - Richard Pattis Code Smell 74 - Empty Lines Breaking the code to favor readability asks for refactor. TL;DR Don't add empty lines to your methods. Extract them! Problems Readability Kiss Low Reuse Solutions Extract Method Refactor Remove unneeded lines. Sample Code Wrong <?

function translateFile() {
    $this->buildFilename();
    $this->readFile();
    $this->assertFileContentsAreOk();
    //A lot of lines more
    
    //Empty space to pause definition    
    $this->translateHiperLinks();
    $this->translateMetadata();
    $this->translatePlainText();
    
    //Yet Another empty space
    $this->generateStats();
    $this->saveFileContents();
    //A lot of more lines
} Right <?

function translateFile() {
    $this->readFileToMemoy();
    $this->translateContents();
    $this->saveFileContents();  
} Detection This is a policy smell. Every linter can detect blank lines and warn us. Tags Readability Long Methods Conclusion Empty lines are harmless, but show us an opportunity to break the code into small steps. If you break your code with comments, it is also a code smell asking for a refactor. It’s OK to figure out murder mysteries, but you shouldn’t need to figure out code.  You should be able to read it - Steve McConnell Code Smell 75 - Comments Inside a Method Comments are often a code smell. Inserting them inside a method calls for an urgent refactor. TL;DR Don't add comments inside your methods. Extract them and leave declarative comments just for not obvious design decisions. Problems Readability Kiss Low Reuse Bad Documentation Solutions Extract Method Refactor Remove not declarative comments. Sample Code Wrong function recoverFromGrief() {
    // Denial stage
    absorbTheBadNews();
    setNumbAsProtectiveState();
    startToRiseEmotions();
    feelSorrow();

    // Anger stage
    maskRealEffects();
    directAngerToOtherPeople();
    blameOthers();
    getIrrational();

    // bargaining stage
    feelVulnerable();
    regret();
    askWhyToMyself();
    dreamOfAlternativeWhatIfScenarios();
    postoponeSadness();

    // depression stage
    stayQuiet();
    getOverwhelmed();
    beConfused();

    // acceptance stage
    acceptWhatHappened();
    lookToTheFuture();
    reconstructAndWalktrough();
} Right function recoverFromGrief() {
    denialStage();
    angerStage();
    bargainingStage();
    depressionStage();
    acceptanceStage();
}

function denialStage() {
    absorbTheBadNews();
    setNumbAsProtectiveState();
    startToRiseEmotions();
    feelSorrow();
}

function angerStage() {
    maskRealEffects();
    directAngerToOtherPeople();
    blameOthers();
    getIrrational();
}

function bargainingStage() {
    feelVulnerable();
    regret();
    askWhyToMyself();
    dreamOfAlternativeWhatIfScenarios();
    postoponeSadness();
}

function depressionStage() {
    stayQuiet();
    getOverwhelmed();
    beConfused();
}

function acceptanceStage() {
    acceptWhatHappened();
    lookToTheFuture();
    reconstructAndWalktrough();
} Detection This is a policy smell. Every linter can detect comments not in the first line and warn us. Tags Readability Long Methods Comments Conclusion Comments are a code smell. If you need to document a design decision, you should do it before the actual method code. Relations Code Smell 03 - Functions Are Too Long Code Smell 74 - Empty Lines Code Smell 05 - Comment Abusers Don't get suckered in by the comments, they can be terribly misleading: Debug only the code - Dave Storer And that’s all for now… The next article will explain 5 more code smells!

How to Find The Stinky Parts of Your Code [Part XV]

Our current efforts to solve climate change suck and also don’t suck enough. In this piece I have collated some research on sucking carbon out of the air, carbon pricing, Australia’s current renewable plans and carbon consumption habits. I recently watched the ABC TV show starring Craig Reucassel from , two shows with great values investigating if and how Australians are making an environmental difference. It seemed like the methods he looked into were just about keeping the peace and wouldn’t actually change the status quo. I enjoyed the format and Craig’s wit especially when he challenges politicians and company owners to do better. I think both shows fall short in keeping the focus on reforming businesses which use plastic and fossil fuels. He chose to follow households and see how they can make personal lifestyle changes instead. Unfortunately I think this feel-good morale inflates the idea that small changes can make a huge difference. The only issue is the changes mentioned like having a shorter shower, recycling and making cows eat seaweed really compared to large lifestyle shifts like a , though he does touch on living without . Localising the issue to our behaviour also contributes to the delusion that we can solve the problem by doing little things and shifts the cause away from plastic and fossil-fuel industries. But I do get the purpose is to feel empowered when it’s so often easy to feel helpless in regards to global issues. Fight for Planet A The War on Waste won’t make a big difference plant-based diet fossil fueled transportation Besides lifestyle changes, we can utilise community action groups and take class action lawsuits directly against politicians, organisations and governments. Recently, six Portugese youth against 33 European countries for putting their lives at risk by failing to reduce emissions. Similarly, five American states have filed against oil and gas corporations for the “havoc they knowingly wreaked”. This is the kind of activism we need most. Stop telling a story of how it’s up to individual people to make a difference in their lives by recycling and using less electricity and start telling the story of shitty businesses and corrupt governments. filed a climate lawsuit climate change lawsuits Recycling as a major public goal continues the idea that if we only recycled better, we wouldn’t have a waste problem. With climate change, it’s the same, fossil fuel companies emit carbon gas waste into the atmosphere and then tell us to use better heating. Plastic companies frame recycling as the solution so they can keep selling and using cheap packaging instead of the more expensive compostable packaging. South Australia is on the right path with a recently-passed . It includes the ban of single-use plastic products and will commence in 2021. waste avoidance Bill The plastic and fossil fuel industries have conned us into thinking that the solution is in recycling and reusing their products. It’s not. That message perpetuates the problem. We’re desperately struggling to reduce emissions and use renewables instead of banning and preventing the cause. Governments allow this to happen because cheap fuel and packaging make a country appear like it’s succeeding in terms of financial growth. Australia’s commerce involves the supply of some of the worst assets you can trade — coal, live animals and gas. Livestock causes the destruction of in Eastern Australia. 1500 football fields of forest every day Australia is heading in a fatal direction with “ ”, a financial campaign led by Scott Morrison with a misnomer for a name. It makes no sense to be spending money on natural gas companies when the government has already found — in its own research — that . This way it would use current pipelines to prevent expenses of new infrastructure and be a cleaner energy source for industrial processes like green steel. Even in Australia’s new $1.9 billion , they point to fossil-fueled hydrogen, factory-produced carbon capture instead of funding renewables and environmental R&D. This roadmap is a guise to reduce scrutiny and keep funding corrupt industries to profit from fossil fuels. The Australian government is often run by politicians who care about getting rich at any cost even if it means continual and the commitment of crimes against nature such as the destruction of and . gas-led recovery hydrogen should replace natural gas low-emissions technology roadmap suppression of environment research The Great Barrier Reef heritage sites Clean hydrogen is also not the solution, as it requires renewable energies to power its extraction from H2O through electrolysis. It’s also than electricity as a fuel for transport. (See this for a quick breakdown on hydrogen.) It would be better to like subsidising electric car prices and puting free electric vehicle charging stations around the country instead of to industrial companies. four times more expensive Real Engineering video support electric car iniatives trying to increase our GDP by exporting hydrogen We need to think globally, scientifically, and economically about the main cause of climate change: the exponential growth of the human population alongside the rise of fossil-fueled industrialisation. Let’s look at methods to reduce carbon in the atmosphere by three underrepresented alternatives. These methods aren’t about finding one solution — they all matter. But let’s talk about methods which could actually counteract the consumption habits and production of fossil fuels and reduce the global temperature by two degrees celsius. 1. Carbon Removal Methods Carbon removal methods are like the upkeep of the Earth’s hygiene by cleaning the harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. I’m not talking as much about the carbon capture and storage of fossil fuels from coal, oil, and gas factories. Those carbon capture strategies should definitely be used by carbon-producing industries such as fossil fuel plants, but clearly, it would be better not to have those industries in the first place. I’m referring to carbon removal through climate engineering methods. Global warming is created from the sun’s radiation getting trapped inside the increasingly carbonised spherical roof in our atmosphere. Until we convert entirely to carbon-neutral or carbon-negative emissions in our business and personal practices, we’ll continue to burn fossil fuels by driving, using electricity, heating and eating, and the planet will get warmer, causing innumerable disastrous climate effects. The earth already captures carbon incredibly well through photosynthesising lifeforms and inorganic mineral collection. The development of carbon capture methods is just beginning and the methods are either improving the natural ways our planet sequesters carbon or building machines that collect and convert efficiently. The first is cheap and easy, and the second is currently expensive but getting cheaper and more effective . It’s one of many solutions to global warming we need to pursue. Direct air capture methods imitate what trees and photosynthesizers do naturally by capturing carbon dioxide out of the air. Current carbon capture technologies can do the work of and that’s fully grown trees. Planting trees is a slow process and we need to work fast in order to plant enough, which may not be possible given how long it takes for them to work effectively. Trees are also deforested at an alarming rate thus losing all their work of decades of carbon sequestration. They’re also burned when a fire rampages through a forest and their . Ironically, fires are more likely to happen because of global warming and not having enough trees. We need a change in mindset from short-term gains to long-term foresight. 40 million trees stored carbon is depleted Klause Lackner’s team at the Center for Negative Carbon Emissions in Arizona have developed carbon capture trees which and are increasingly cheaper, currently at $94USD per square ton of carbon removal. work 1000 times faster than a natural tree Others propose a more direct through the photoelectric chemical conversion of CO2 into oxygen and energy. However, current models deem it . Similarly, look cool and use artificial photosynthesis but they’re . artificial photosynthesis expensive these trees not scalable CO2 O2 Faux trees convert to . Image from phys.org A major benefit of capturing carbon is being in control of how it’s stored and converted. If we convert carbon from CO2 into calcium carbonate pellets, we can use and store them more efficiently. One method that has incredible potential is . It is a technique that can convert any type of carbon into the extremely useful graphene. Graphene can be used to strengthen concrete by 40% with only 1% of it in the mixture. Graphene can be used to make green concrete which is stronger than regular concrete by . These breakthroughs can convert carbon into reusable technology instead of the likely . flash graphene 34% with only 0.07% of graphene in the mixture unsafe, and costly process of geological carbon storage A cheap decarbonisation method is coating mountain rocks, roads and roofs to capture the CO2 brought down by rain and storing them in the calcium carbonate composite. Another extremely promising method is : essentially feeding nutrients to the phytoplanktons which use photosynthesis like plants to convert sunlight and CO2 into oxygen and/or excrement. Ocean fertilisation has been an excitingly cheap and simple solution to implement. We need to give more credit to these oceanic microorganisms. In fact, they are the critters that created our breathable ozone in the first place, not trees. They’ve been working since the beginning of life on this planet and fertilise all land and life — it’s the ocean we need to work on more than anything, as it sequesters the majority of carbon. with olivine ocean fertilisation We’re focusing on strategies which only account for 20% of emissions while 80% of the problem remains. Ocean fertilisation is potentially the best all-round solution to a negative emission technology. The nine mechanisms which marine vertebrates play roles in the oceanic carbon cycle. , GRID Arendal CC BY-ND Ocean fertilisation will need to work in coordination with deacidification. We’ve lost incredibly healthy and foundational phytoplankton on a global scale of . I recommend on some further innovative strategies including Steven Gillet’s talk on past methods and new nanotechnological solutions for carbon and silicates including deacidification. 1% per year this playlist Carbon capture is necessary but not sufficient and improving old methods like ocean fertilisation is just the beginning. We may need to consider bioengineering new phytoplankton through the use of gene drives in order for them to out compete larger microorganisms and prevent harmful algae blooms from occurring. Tracking can also be undertaken through the use of satellites to see the ocean and atmospheric changes and make adjustments to the bloom areas. There’s no natural way out of this. We shouldn’t be afraid to change the planet through these climate engineering techniques, as we’ve already drastically and irredeemably changed earth in the last century. We need to make up for our mistakes, as sustainability is no longer sufficient. 2. Carbon Pricing Increase Many countries already have a price on carbon. The countries with the highest price on C02 per metric tonne have had great reductions in their emissions and the countries that delay carbon pricing are only increasing how much the tax will need to be, as climate change gets worse, according to . The challenge is enforcing it upon the companies that pollute the most and using carbon pricing as a deterrence scheme. It would be excellent to supplement carbon pricing with a plan to change energy practices altogether, like the , which outlines a way to supercharge the economy through developing renewable infrastructure and technologies. IPCC and the World Bank Green New Deal Canada has a similar to Australia’s, except in Australia, industrial polluters can emit up to a certain amount of carbon on the safeguard mechanism and then . Australia is going in the opposite direction of the pledge made in to reduce emissions by 28% by 2030. The Australian government is one of the worst countries in the world in their action to mitigate climate change according to the . even say a carbon price of $111 per tonne of CO2 still wouldn’t be high enough to meet our Paris agreement targets. Britain has been of $25 a ton and led electric utilities to switch away from coal and to cleaner solutions. Australia doesn’t currently have a roof or a floor price on carbon. pollution pricing program just buy credits as compensation the Paris Climate agreement Global Energy innovation Index Estimates successful in using a carbon price floor Graphic By Ranamode — Own work, via wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0 One suggestion is to to incentivise people to save money by converting to greener technologies. Likewise, renewable energy companies like electric vehicle manufacturers and solar power plants should be subsidised so they become cheaper. reduce the price on renewable energies If carbon capture methods cost approximately $100 USD per metric tonne of CO2 then we need to adjust our carbon tax accordingly. The tax fund could be distributed to the top climate change solutions and most effective methods should be getting more of the funding. Carbon pricing works, according to by researchers from Australian National University . It showed countries with a carbon price reduced their emissions by 2% per year and the countries without a carbon price increased their emissions, on average, by 3%. a decade-long study Carbon price vs no carbon price in 142 countries. Best, Burke, Jotzo 2020 We can also tax the carbon footprint of everyday life as well as pay people for being carbon negative. This can be achieved by simply subsidising renewable energy companies instead of fossil fuel companies. If we did get taxed heavily for the carbon we emit and got paid even more for the renewable energy we produce by living a carbon negative life, we could save a lot of money. And wouldn’t that be a nice motivator to change to a more ethical lifestyle? 3. Carbon Consumption Prevention Having one fewer child prevents the most carbon from being consumed out of all the individual lifestyle choices we can make. Creating one person amounts to 60 tonnes of carbon emissions each year and has led to awareness campaigns such as Vancouver’s . One Planet One Child Stopping a wealthy person’s carbon footprint by having one or no children is the single greatest action you can take to offset your carbon emissions over a lifetime. outside of donating tens of thousands of dollars In terms of as a contributing factor of climate change, it’s important to note that it’s predominantly developed nations and rich households who have . Not developing nations like in Asia and Africa where are happening. overpopulation 86% of the worlds CO2 emissions 118 million births out of the global 140 million annual births Graph from Our World in Data CC BY SA 4.0 In developed nations like Australia, we should not be offering monetary incentives to have children. Despite people’s fear of the , automation and a global are likely going to happen to make up for the decline in the working-age population. economic implications of an aging population Green New Deal CREDITS: (GRAPHIC) J. YOU/SCIENCE; (DATA) SETH WYNES AND KIMBERLY A NICHOLAS, ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS (2017 ) https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/best-way-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-one-government-isn-t-telling-you-about says we should have kids because they sometimes emit joy. Unfortunately joy doesn’t offset carbon and for many of us, kids due to the decrease in daily pleasure. Just to be clear on what our carbon habits are in Australia, here’s a graph: This article make us more miserable *Land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF). Overall emission figures given, less LULUCF, total 99.9% due to rounding. Source: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources The thing is, we need to do better even if we were to donate a 1000 times more than we do to offset carbon. Eating a plant-based diet has an even greater benefit than we realise after taking into account all of the carbon offsets that would happen as a consequence of reducing animal agriculture — say that this shift alone could limit our warming to 1.5°C. Once you factor in all the forest regrowth and enormous stop on deforestation for animal grazing and animal feed, less farm-to-table travel, less animals burping and the fact that as CO2 you realise the enormity of the problem and the easiest solution: don’t eat animals. estimates methane is 28 times as potent These discussions need to be had to influence our cultural understanding of why the destruction of our planet continues. We need to truly consider altering our carbon footprint and to talk about the industries, governments and businesses that are the root cause. Our small habit changes in our daily life aren’t the larger and only solution. Push for reform and don’t settle for a slow destruction of our planet for future generations. We should switch our diet, our electricity, and our car to renewables. But most importantly, let’s switch our thinking from ethnocentric profiteering to global and systematic accountability for a sustainable future and make our governments do the same. Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest blogs Previously published behind a paywall at: https://medium.com/predict/altered-carbon-footprint-94b4e3317034

Three Effective Strategies to Collectively Alter Our Carbon Footprint

The emergence of remarkable technologies like the Internet, the iPhone, and Bitcoin have left us all in constant search of "the next big thing."Is it Uber? Airbnb? Everything-as-a-service? Tesla? Gartner formalized this frenzied questioning with the " ." hype cycle One trend Gartner notes is the rise of the "augmented human," which, besides improving the human body with biochips and AI, includes biotech, like CRISPR. CRISPR is a gene editing tool, combining a guide RNA (molecular GPS) with a Cas endonuclease (molecular scissors) to let us finely target and manipulate genes at will. Infinite Possibility Because there are many kinds of , there are many applications for CRISPR, including , , , and . Cas endonucleases COVID-19 testing HIV diagnostics autism treatments so much more The sheer versatility of a precise gene manipulation tool like CRISPR means the sky is the limit. One of Silicon Valley's most marquee brands, YCombinator, writes about how genetically engineered ocean phytoplankton could . Yes, CRISPR can be used here . solve climate change as well Infinite Risk? Like Uncle Ben said, with great power comes great responsibility. While clichés like this are thrown around constantly, whether it's in AI or even blockchain, the reality is that CRISPR truly is a turning point for humanity. There's a nearly-universal of CRISPR for non-therapeautic uses, like creating designer babies: denouncement "In our view, genome editing in human embryos using current technologies could have unpredictable effects on future generations... This makes it dangerous and ethically unacceptable." The more politically correct term is "genetically modified children," which is accomplished through human germline editing, or changing heritable DNA (sperm and eggs, or embryos). If scientists edit heritable DNA, it's something we can't take back. This is in sharp contrast to most other technologies out there. For instance, if you unintentionally create a biased AI algorithm, there will be and potentially , but the algorithm can be rolled-back and modified. a ton of backlash fear You can't roll-back a line of genetically-modified humans (or any other animal, for that matter). Once they're out of the lab, genetically modified organisms are free to reproduce, and continue passing on manipulated genes, with unforeseeable consequences. The solution seems fairly straightforward: A moratorium on heritable DNA editing, while allowing somatic DNA editing (not sperm and egg cells). However, we're not out of the water just yet. A Fight to Control CRISPR With so much at stake, many parties are engaged in vicious legal battles to . patent CRISPR Since the first commercialization of CRISPR Cas9 in 2012, hundreds upon hundreds of patent applications have been made, leading to many disputes and overlaps in claimed IP. This is a sign that, while an incredibly powerful technology, we're still in the early days of the CRISPR field. By comparison, the AI and blockchain industries, for instance, are not wholly embroiled in patent battles over technological control. Instead, we're seeing and being used around us already. blockchain AI The Future of CRISPR Once the legal battles over CRISPR settle down, rapid progress will be inevitable. Even now, we're seeing tremendous developments being made. While CRISPR now is mostly limited to university labs and scientists, this technology is being " ," or more simply, it's becoming more and more accessible. democratized To become a part of that democratization and help advance the field for everyone, not just those at the top, it's up to readers like you to . learn more about CRISPR

Postoplan News on
HackerNoon and Around the Web

Winner for Best Startup in Tallinna, Northern Europe!

postoplan.app

-- employees

Since n.d.

Postoplan Story Mentions

Articles Around the Web

Read More Tech Stories Related to #Postoplan

Postoplan News on HackerNoon and Around the Web