💚 A Smart Agriculture Revolution 🌾
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
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Stay impactful,
Happy Tuesday! 👋
When you think about the production of all the food that you eat, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Chances are that it’s not the potential that advanced technology has in making it more sustainable.
Or at least, that’s not what I’m normally thinking about when making food choices.
I try to buy local food that’s ideally organic too. And then there are a few other things that I’m always watching out for…
But whether my food is produced with smart farming systems hasn’t been one of these considerations. Yet!
But after today’s main story, I have high hopes that this might change in the future. Or that this might even become the new norm.
🌾 Revolutionizing Agriculture: How a Smart Farming System Enhances Crop Yields and Reduces Pollution
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a new farming system that addresses one of the most pressing issues in modern agriculture: the overuse of fertilizers and the resulting chemical runoff that pollutes our air and water.
This smart farming system could be a game-changer in sustainable agriculture.
The smart farming system addresses this issue by simultaneously producing ammonia and monitoring nitrogen levels, improving crop growth by helping plants take in and use nitrogen more efficiently:
- In tests, the system was able to match or even increase crop yields compared to traditional methods, while also minimizing environmental impacts.
- The system uses a copper-based hydrogel that captures excess nitrate waste from fertilizer runoff and transforms it into ammonia, a critical element in fertilizers, which can then be reused.
This smart farming system improves crop yields and significantly reduces pollution, marking a major advancement in sustainable agriculture.
As the global population is expected to increase by more than 2 billion people by 2050, finding sustainable ways to produce enough food while minimizing harmful emissions is crucial.
And the potential impact of the smart farming system is enormous.
The researchers’ next step will be to infuse artificial intelligence into this farming platform, aiming to expand the range of crops they can work on and further scale up fertilizing operations.
📢 More Good News…
🐢 Sea turtles are given legal rights in Panama: A new law in Panama guarantees sea turtles the right to live and have free passage in a healthy environment. This law allows any Panamanian citizen to be the voice of sea turtles and defend them legally, and helps protect them against pollution and poaching.
☀️ Solar power booming in sunny California: There has been a recent boom in solar power plants across the Southwest US, taking advantage of the year-round sunlight in the region. This is great news, but has the potential to put a strain on their water resources.
🇦🇺 Inspiring activists in Australia: With the climate crisis affecting Australia profoundly, many activists in the area are rising up and being increasingly outspoken about their government’s complacency. They are promoting a message of platforming scientists and raising the alarm about climate dangers, an important inspiration to climate activists everywhere.
Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!
Stay impactful 💚
Dennis (Founder & Chief Ninja)
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🥤 Event of the Month: Plastic Free July
Did you know that we celebrate Plastic Free July? This month-long event challenges people to give up plastic waste completely for the month of July. This can be a great way to learn more about waste-free options and see what a plastic-free lifestyle can be. This movement has inspired hundreds of millions of participants all over the globe. So take the challenge this July and try to cut plastic out of your life!
Below are our favorite charities that are especially relevant to this event:
- 9 Best Charities That Fight to End Plastic Pollution
- 9 Best Charities That Promote Recycling
- 9 Best Charities That Promote Sustainability
📜 This Week in History
🇺🇲 July, 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence was officially approved, marking the birth of the United States of America. This is celebrated every year as the Fourth of July with fireworks.
👑 July 5, 1775: The US Continental Congress adopts the Olive Branch Petition which appeals directly to King George (who refused). This was a major instigating force for the Revolutionary War of Independence.
🐑 July 5, 1990: Dolly the sheep was born, making her the first officially cloned animal in the world. This was a breakthrough in modern science, though also highly controversial.
💭 Quote of the Week
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”
— The Declaration of Independence
