Microsoft started 2020 with a bold plan: become carbon negative by 2030. Now it's announced a new coalition of global companies with the goal of catalyzing the shift away from fossil fuels.
"This has to be about much more than just Microsoft," Lucas Joppa, chief environmental officer at Microsoft, told Cheddar. "This has to be about leading companies across the private sector coming together to work on this challenge."
The industry and continent-spanning coalition, dubbed Transform to Net Zero, includes Maersk, Danone, Mercedes-Benz AG, Microsoft, Natura & Co, Nike, Starbucks, Unilever, and Wipro.
"What we're focusing on is going beyond making commitments," he said. "We need all companies to make meaningful, significant climate commitments. But those of us that have made those commitments, now it's time to get to work."
One shared goal of the group will be to develop playbooks based on their experiences decarbonizing, which they can then share with other companies unsure of how to proceed.
Microsoft's short-term goal is to remove 1 million metric tons of carbon from the environment within the year. It began the process this week by issuing what it calls a "groundbreaking" request for a proposal to source technology and nature-based carbon removal solutions from other firms.
Another piece of Microsoft's climate plan is switching its data centers to renewable energy sources. The company is partnering with Sol Systems, energy developer and investor, to build that capacity in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.
This will be the first major investment from the company's $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund that launched in January.
The partnership aims to add 500 megawatts to Microsoft's renewable energy portfolio, which already has approximately 1.9 gigawatts, according to Joppa. Microsoft says 500 megawatts would provide enough energy to power 70,000 U.S. homes.
Joppa said Microsoft is shooting for 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.
As Microsoft attempts to drive change in the corporate sector, Joppa is still banking on the public sector to step up with new regulations to combat climate change.
"It can't just be about us," Joppa said. "I believe that we need a much more level playing field. We need everybody to be required and incentivized to go and operate in this space, to move everybody's business practices to net zero by 2050. Ultimately we're going to need regulation and policy to get us there."
From the TikTok boom to social commerce shopping to livestreaming events, social media trends took on all different shapes and sizes this year. Stephanie Humphrey, technology and lifestyle expert, joined Cheddar to discuss the biggest fads of the year, as well as what to expect for next year.
If 2021 is any indication, 2022 will be a big year for social media. TikTok reached 1 billion users this year and is expected to grow even bigger. We got our first look at the Metaverse, NFTs soared in popularity, and the crypto craze starting hitting its stride - just to name a few fads. Mark Douglas, CEO and Founder of MNTN, joined Cheddar to discuss if these trends could continue, or if we'll see some surprises in the year ahead.
2021 was a big year for big tech, but it was also a wake-up call for the government. Lawmakers are still struggling to figure out how to regulate big tech companies as they grow bigger and get even more powerful. Evan Greer, director of the digital rights organization Fight for the Future, joined Cheddar to discuss key takeaways from the year, as well as what we can expect for big tech and regulation in 2022.
Bumble users are remaining active on the dating app and still linking up with potential matches despite the emergence of the omicron variant of COVID-19. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd noted that no matter what is happening in the world, people will always need to connect.
There seems to be no stopping the crypto craze, and this week has been no exception. Dogecoin surged after ‘Time Person of the Year' Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla will accept some payments in the digital token. Everett Millman, Crypto & Metals Analyst at Gainsville Coins, gives Cheddar insight into just how much influence Musk has over the crypto world.
As the world of crypto evolves, the need from investors for some type of stability within crypto is also growing. Enter stablecoins. Stablecoins serve as a crypto-equivalent which hold their value, and allow investors to quickly move their profits across currencies. Patrick McConlogue, CEO of Overline and former Citadel Investment Group engineer, explains what to expect ahead of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee’s stablecoin hearing, as regulatory tensions between the crypto market and the government continue to hover in limbo.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest data showing the Omicron wave has likely started, Pfizer's Covid pill, Jan. 6 and a box office rescue attempt courtesy of Spider-Man.
