Miami to use PlanetWatch and Algorand for air quality monitoring

Published at: Dec. 2, 2021

Miami is preparing to be one of the first major US cities to monitor its air quality using a decentralized Internet of Things (IoT) network built on Algorand.

French environmental technology company Planetwatch has developed five different types of air quality sensors. With funding from Borderless Capital’s $10 million PLANETS fund, sensors will be deployed throughout the city, including in the homes of city residents.

Each sensor detects the concentration of air pollution in an area. When combined into a network, they will help residents and city officials analyze where higher levels of pollution exist. Data collected by the sensors will be recorded on the Algorand blockchain making it tamper-proof and permanent.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has been a long-time advocate for the use of blockchain technology. He said at the DeCipher event in Miami on Nov. 29:

“The data from this project will play a crucial role in our climate adaptation efforts as well as our ambitions to make Miami an epicentre for digital capital markets.”

Residents who agree to run a sensor in their home will be rewarded with Planet Tokens (Planets). Planets can be sold for fiat in the open market or be exchanged for Earth Credits. Earth Credits are non-exchangeable tokens which PlanetWatch uses as internal currency for its products and services.

Related: DAOs empower social good with yield-generating DeFi products

Algorand is a carbon negative blockchain. Algorand also recently gained $1.5 billion in funding from former Citi executive Matt Zhang.

Tags
Related Posts
MDT introduces blockchain oracle to accelerate DeFi adoption
Measurable Data Token (MDT) has announced the launch of a blockchain-based oracle service, Measurable Finance (MeFi), which has been designed to connect traditional financial data markets to the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. In its primary showcase of utility, the project constructed a decentralized application (DApp) —accessible on both the Ethereum and testnet blockchains — which enables DeFi participants to access stock trading data from some of the world’s largest financial marketplaces, including the Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange (NY and Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). With the introduction of these services, decentralized data sharing network Measurable aims to advance the …
Adoption / Oct. 20, 2021
UN sees blockchain technology as tool to fight climate crisis
Amid ongoing concerns over Bitcoin’s carbon footprint, the United Nations has said that cryptocurrency’s underlying technology has massive potential for fixing global issues such as climate change. The U.N. will keep exploring the uses of blockchain technology as a way to fight the climate crisis and help reach a more sustainable global economy, according to an article published on the official U.N. website on Sunday. U.N. experts are confident that “cryptocurrencies and the technology that powers them can play an important role in sustainable development, and actually improving our stewardship of the environment.” Specifically, the article points out a number …
Technology / June 22, 2021
Blockchain for the Environment: It Is Real and It Is Here
Every week sears a new image of climate change into our collective consciousness. A few decades ago, we heard about ozone holes and ice melting at slightly higher rates than anticipated. Today, the reminders of climate change are more visceral and immediate: California’s hills and forests burn, Venice’s city council chamber floods, and Iceland holds a funeral for a glacier. The United Nations held a global Climate Summit at the end of September last year, though there were real disappointments — with the United States notable for its silence. Political and business leaders alike agreed that more needed to be …
Blockchain / Feb. 20, 2020
University of Cambridge to launch decentralized carbon credit marketplace on the Tezos blockchain
In an announcement Friday morning, the University of Cambridge announced it would be building a novel decentralized carbon credit marketplace to support global reforestation efforts. Its ultimate goal would be to increase the adoption of nature-based conservation solutions, or NbS, such as reforestation, through financial instruments. The institution envisions that purchasers of carbon credits will be able to securely and directly fund NbS projects through the platform. The initiative, known as the Cambridge Centre for Carbon Credits, or 4C, is based in the Department of Computer Science and Technology and the Conservation Research Institute. Scientists and researchers will build the …
Decentralization / Nov. 10, 2021
The power of NFTs drives awareness of endangered koala species
Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are no longer the buzzword in the world of crypto and blockchain but instead have become an integral part of blockchain technology services. As the popularity of NFTs soared, so has the conversation around using NFTs to make a difference and giving back to the communities that need it most. The use cases for NFTs expand if we can attach them to tangible outcomes. As collectors connect further with the causes behind some of the most fascinating NFT projects, they become more engaged, increasing the value of the NFTs. Using NFTs for social good The growth in …
Blockchain / Dec. 3, 2021