Environmental Tracking Devices

Environmental tracking devices, such as detectors for CO2 and other harmful emissions, as well as their implementation within the urban landscape are not an innovation. With the emergence of blockchain technology, the door to a whole new world of additional possibilities related to these devices was opened. The technology presented many economically viable ways of tracking, storing, and analyzing environmental data. Software integration, albeit complex, was made possible. But there are a lot of issues that are not already solved yet: Our EnviDa project is aiming to solve exactly this challenge. We use our innovated mobile mining rig, called DriveMiner, which can be installed in electrical or semi-electrical vehicles of companies which have a great fleet of cars and have a long-running time per day, i.e. cabs, transportation companies, busses, etc. Our DriveMiner is an independent, multifunctional, and mobile computer with a wide range of connectivity options and its own Internet access. As such, it enables a wide array of other functions that go beyond the area of mining. Most notably, with the integration of additional sensors, the DriveMiner can simultaneously record environmental data or certain particles in the air from hundreds of different locations within an urban area. Some of the environmental data that can actually be captured by the DriveMiner is: C02 levels Fine dust and other particles Temperature On-demand it can be expanded to other types of data like Toxic substances and chemicals produced by the industry and manufacturing (including pesticides) Radiation intensity Optical analyses of the environment With a higher number of installed rigs in the medium- term, the collection of environmental data becomes possible, and EnviDa will establish an excellent database with historic and actual data. We are planning to enable the storage of this data on a blockchain. The collection and utilization of environmental data on an immutable ledger are of manifold benefit this would enable reliable monitoring of pollutants to be carried out by environmental authorities or NGOs. According to EA (European Environment Agency), the European Commission embraces blockchain technology, in the context of the design and implementation of preventive environmental practices. It acknowledges that blockchain will be "transformative for the decades to come and it therefore "aims at positioning Europe at the forefront of blockchain innovation and uptake However, at present, "the environmental and sustainability implications of blockchain remain insufficiently analyzed" One of the major obstacles is the high energy consumption of the consensus mechanisms, like PoW, and the lacking reliability of another consensus, like PoS, in terms of network security and integrity. Our DriveMiner tackles exactly these issues, by embracing a more energy-efficient methodology, through the use of a power-saving algorithm and the characteristics of our mining rigs. The project allows for PoW mining that minimizes the effects of its disadvantages, such as high energy consumption. The ability to install environmental data trackers on the DriveMiner is a revolutionary concept. We arrived at this decision after concluding that the energy usage of the DriveMiner was low enough to have unused power left that can be utilized in a different manner. The aspect of mobility presented the opportunity to track emissions simultaneously, at multiple locations, at the same time. With the adoption of DriveMiner in different geographical locations and by both national and transnational transportation companies, we can get access to a constant flow of information. We are already testing this functionality there are currently 20 DriveMiner prototypes, installed in cabs, on the streets of Berlin, that are measuring and sending CO2 values, while mining different cryptocurrencies Most importantly, blockchain allows for the secure and tamper-proof exchange of environmental data across multiple entities. Here are some use cases of this data in the context of DriveMiner. 2.1 DESIGN SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES Collecting data is the key towards identifying problematic regions, designing new environmental practices, and, last but not least, tracking the effects of the new practices and arriving at meaningful conclusions on their effectiveness. EnviDa enables exactly that. The core target group is companies that have vehicles constantly on the move. They offer the best possible means of collecting environmental data, as they can cover multiple locations 24/7. This data can then be stored securely on the blockchain and later be analyzed 2.2 COMPLIANCE Environmental treaties like the Paris agreement signed between worldwide industry leaders in 2016 to reduce the carbon footprint and prevent global warming - are an essential way to align everyone's interests, in terms of climate change prevention However, most countries are failing to meet their targets - some by a large margin. Furthermore, lobbying parties in certain countries are using their power to further reduce the effects of these treaties. Environmental tracking with EnviDa can give a real-time representation of the progress of any country, as long as there are enough units in vehicles, working on the road. In addition, this data cannot be tempered, meaning that certain parties are not able to manipulate it in their interest. The higher the adoption of Drive Miner, the greater the amount of data collected and the lesser the chance of fraud, in terms of faulty reports