Here’s How Blockchain Can Save The Environment

Julie Starr • February 27, 2022



Blockchain is a digital ledger of purchases that is stored in ‘blocks’. The record is decentralized and can be securely stored without the need of a third party to maintain the data. It is the backbone of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies are making significant steps towards reducing their carbon emissions, making them in many cases far more environmentally sustainable. Here’s how blockchain can save the environment.

Blockchain Companies Committing To Clean Energy

If private blockchain companies commit to going green, this will have a huge impact on both cryptocurrency mining and what the funds generated from mining can be poured back into. Green blockchain companies could encourage green mining farms, and stipulate that funds should be poured into sustainable energy. As the backbone of crypto, blockchain companies can and should hold sway over how digital currency is mined.

Move To A Proof Of Stake System (POS)

Ethereum is one of the first cryptocurrencies to go green, with their new POS concept taking precedence over the old proof of work (POW) system. The POW system is where members of a network, or ‘miners’ have to solve a mathematical puzzle. It is a form of competition used to generate new blocks and currency. It takes a huge amount of energy. POS is an alternative where you stake your coins in order to complete transactions. It takes far less energy to create coins and is a great alternative to the previous model.

The Crypto Climate Pledge

Many blockchain and crypto companies are making an investment in green and clean technology, with the Crypto climate pledge. This Accord stipulates that all crypto and blockchain companies should be creating digital currencies using sustainable energy by 2025. They aim to do this through the use of open source technology and investment into sustainable energy. 

Work With Crypto That Doesn’t Use Mining

There are many new and emerging cryptocurrencies that blockchain companies could work with that do not rely on mining at all. Crypto like Nano has existed since 2015. It uses blockchain-lattice technology, which relies on each user having a unique receive and send block unique to them. They can create their own chain, making this both secure and easy to verify without mining.

Climate Pledges And Redistribution

Blockchain and crypto could help save the environment by using its systems for climate pledges. One proposal would be that countries, states or companies pledge a certain amount of money to reduce their carbon emissions. Should that country, state, or company fail to reduce their emissions, then their deposit would be redistributed to those that have met the terms of their pledge.

Conclusion

Blockchain and crypto have already made huge inroads into reducing their own carbon emissions, with emerging new currencies that move away from mining and instead look at additional encryption or proof of stake workflows to overcome their use of fossil fuels. They are also looking to use their technology to facilitate investment and pledges to reverse climate change.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.