Blockchain and Sustainability – Friends or Foes?

Hosted by Walker Morris

The power required to run the global Bitcoin network is estimated as being in the region of 7.5 gigawatts per year.

 

To put that in to context, that’s the same amount of power required to run 825,000,000 individual LEDs. This then, poses the obvious question – is Blockchain sustainable?

Being one of the hottest topics in tech means that there is the inevitable influx of associated myths and scaremongering. This brings with it the risk that the global community will prematurely dismiss and cast ill-informed aspersions on a technology that has the potential to aid the world’s fight to become more sustainable.

During this session we will look to dispel some of these myths by exploring what Blockchain is, look at its potential future growth and even gain an insight into businesses that have gone one step further by integrating the use of Blockchain into their sustainability-centric businesses.

We will hear from local Leeds start-ups who have sought to harness the indisputable practical benefits of Blockchain, in order to aid in producing a more sustainable world. We will also hear from Anthony Day, a Blockchain Partner at IBM, who helps organisations reap the benefits of edge technology such as Blockchain and guides them on a journey to digitise their businesses.

Speakers Include:

 

Sally Mewies

Sally is a Partner at Walker Morris and leads the Technology and Digital Group. Sally is recognised as a leader in her field and has over 30 years’ experience of helping clients on their technology and telecoms contracts.

She is an expert in cloud services and has written and spoken extensively on managing risk in the Cloud. Sally’s experience of technology-related contracts means that she can guide clients through the jargon to secure an effective agreement where risk is identified, understood and properly managed.

More recently Sally has been involved in edge technologies , including AI solutions and blockchain. With the Technology & Digital team, Sally is working with clients to help them maximise the opportunities that are presented by NFTs, smart contracts and blockchain whether as part of a marketing campaign or through supply chain.

 

Gary Woodhead

Gary is Founder of Curveblock, a Leeds-based organisation utilising blockchain technology to pioneer the Shared Economy (Regulated DLT-CeFi) via Zero Fossil Fuel, Energy Positive Real Estate.

 

Anthony Day

Anthony is a Partner in IBM’s UK & Ireland Blockchain team. He leads Blockchain transformations and creation of new business networks for IBM clients across a range of industry sectors. Anthony is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of helping clients achieve growth, define impactful digital strategies and launch new businesses powered by exponential technologies (Blockchain, AI, Robotics, Open Platforms, Cloud). He also hosts the Blockchain Won’t Save the World podcast.

 

Dan Graf

Dan is the cofounder and CEO of Earthchain. With 20 years of experience implementing real time payment systems, Dan was also a co-founder and lead Product Development at payments technology startup Infraxis, sold to TAS Group in 2020. Dan has always had a keen interest in sustainability and the environment and believes that technology can play a key role in this. Earthchain’s Carbon Intelligence platform uses retail payments data to deliver actionable climate insights to consumers, enabling them to take the most effective action to live more sustainably.

 

Community & Society
Blockchain and Sustainability – Friends or Foes?
27th Apr 2022 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Hosted by Walker Morris
Virtual

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