NUGGET (23 JULY 2024)
Nuggets! (Bite size updates on the real important stuff related to Tech, Trends, Business and the Planet.)
During my research this month, I learned about a South African invention called WeeStand. The company that developed this idea is based right here in Johannesburg. They have created a urinal for ladies! You can learn more here: https://liquidgold.co.za/our-products/weestand
Imagine being stuck in a damaged Space Station. That has to be very scary, right? Space junk is a subject I have written about many times, and it is becoming a major problem hindering our ambitions for space exploration.
I wanted to share a recent article on the subject, which explains how a retired Earth observation satellite broke into 100 pieces and caused all sorts of havoc. I am keen to see how we will work around this situation in the coming years. Of course, it’s always an option to simply not create space junk! See the article here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-fortifies-space-station-135727981.html
~
Heard of the EFF? Not the political party, but the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is all about defending digital privacy, free speech, and innovation. Here is their website: https://www.eff.org/
~
Saudi Arabia is a rather warm spot on Earth. It is, in fact, within the top 5. This video shows how they are using innovation to keep their people cool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwhwaBWsJgA
The other top four countries are Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iraq.
For those of you who still don’t believe climate change is real, or that it will influence your family or business, I urge you to look out for the red flags. Extreme weather events are one of them, and Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg are just three of the major cities on the African continent experiencing the effects. The damage to property and the loss of lives are very real. Global warming caused by humans is called anthropogenic, and I write about this subject all the time.
Perhaps you would like to know where you can get some extra information specific to South Africa? Did you know there is a Presidential Climate Commission? Well, there is. Take a peek at their website: https://www.climatecommission.org.za/
I stumbled across a website during my research, and their homepage had a sentence that stood out to me: “a world that is good for both people and nature.”
I like that a lot!
The Breakthrough Institute is a global research center dedicated to advancing technological solutions for environmental and human development challenges. Their mission focuses on fostering innovation and policy to address issues related to energy, food, conservation, and climate. Love it!
Their website features in-depth research reports, policy briefs, and opinion pieces. They host events such as the Breakthrough Dialogue and support various initiatives to promote their goals.
Want to know more? Visit: https://thebreakthrough.org/about
~
Progress! International Ocean Tribunal Marks ‘Historic Legal Victory’ for Small Island Nations: An international ocean court has recently issued a “historic” legal opinion, detailing the responsibilities of countries in addressing climate change.
You can, if you like read more here: https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/05/21/international-ocean-tribunal-delivers-historic-legal-victory-for-small-island-nations
300 million Rand loss. That’s a big number and a very scary media statement, right? A public post needs to be made on all government departments and SOEs in South Africa that have been hacked in the past few years, and at the same time, make a list of those that have not. Which list do you think will be longer?
Here are four examples of state entities that have been hacked:
- Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD): In September 2021, they suffered a ransomware attack that affected their IT systems, causing significant disruptions to online services.
- The City of Johannesburg: In October 2019, the city faced a ransomware attack known as the “Shadow Kill Hackers” attack, which led to the shutdown of several online services and systems.
- The South African Revenue Service (SARS): SARS has been targeted by cybercriminals in attempts to access sensitive taxpayer information.
- Department of Home Affairs: There have been reported instances of cyber attacks aimed at accessing personal data stored within the department.
There are many more.
~
In July 2024, South Africa updated its import duties on solar panels, increasing them from 0% to 10%. This change, I hope, will encourage businesses that install these solutions to prioritize reputable local providers rather than solely supporting international companies.
~
South Africa’s two-pot retirement system takes effect at the end of August 2024. Under this system, a member’s contributions to a fund are split into a savings component that is accessible once per tax year, and a retirement component. I am keeping an eye on how this influences people’s retirement plans and overall behavior regarding the subject.
~
I appreciate seeing these sorts of pages on business websites: https://www.mrpricegroup.com/sustainability/
My concern is greenwashing. I would hope that businesses share information such as what percentage of their stock comes from overseas, which inherently carries a massive carbon footprint. Mr. Price imports from China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
South Africa is risking a $9.3 billion climate finance pact by delaying the closing of several coal-fired power plants. Eskom has announced it has decided to postpone the decommissioning of three power plants—Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Camden—until the year 2030. The power plants in South Africa that are known to create the most pollution include Eskom’s coal-fired power plants such as Medupi and Kusile. These power plants are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the country.
What about in Africa?
- Eskom’s coal-fired power plants in South Africa, such as Medupi and Kusile.
- Moneypoint Power Station in Nigeria.
- Asogli Power Plant in Ghana.
- Kendal Power Station in South Africa.
- Inga dams in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Are people not very good at lying, or are we not very good at detecting lies? Perhaps both? A lie combined with unmoderated and far-reaching technology is a major problem we are dealing with in 2024. We must improve our online behavior. Some people really do act in despicable ways online. Here is an article on the subject and the use of artificial intelligence in lie detection: https://futurism.com/researchers-ai-system-detect-lies
~
True or False? “In the 13 years since the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) was introduced, only 6,200 megawatts (MW) have been added to the national grid.”
One of the biggest renewable energy projects in Africa is the Noor Complex Solar Power Plant located in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The Noor Complex is a series of solar power plants and is one of the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) facilities in the world. It has a total capacity of over 500 megawatts and aims to provide clean and sustainable energy to the region.
~
I love this type of website! This site focuses on positive news related to environmentalism. Get some tea or coffee, and dive into this wonderful update:https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/06/18/positive-environmental-stories-from-2024
The End!
HUNGRY FOR MORE NUGGETS?
But wait, there is MORE!
Who is Jean-Pierre Murray-Kline?
Jean-Pierre is a South African serial e-entrepreneur, published author, and change champion who has worked in over 300 types of industries in some capacity or another. His own online businesses have generated millions of Rands and involved sectors such as law, web & app development, events & entertainment, property, technical services, media, and tourism.
He has traveled to over 180 cities worldwide and is extremely active as a business and environmental technologist. In addition to his own projects, he researches and consults on all things online: marketing, reputation, compliance, law, and e-security, and also offers strategy workshops and scenario sessions on future thinking with a key focus on technology, the environment, and global influences.
Jean-Pierre is often asked to be a guest speaker on a variety of subjects he continuously studies and writes about.
Disclaimer:
- While I attempt to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date at time of publication, I will not accept liability should information be used, and found to be incorrect. If you do see an error, please let me know.
- The links, images, videos and/ or text from this article are not necessarily under my direct management, ownership or care. Should you be the owner or manager of any content herein, and wish for the content to be removed, please let me know and it will be done.