🪴Today's issue focuses on the climate crisis in the midst of our current world - with its politics, the pandemic, and growing polarisation. This is the moment when it's important to understand where we are, before we respond to the shifting sands around us. We explore the links between digital services, new-age buzz like NFTs, and more - and being ecologically responsible...

While some familiar systems are coming apart, there are also stories of hope and resilience, that help us move towards a better balance.

+ 🔔 Updates from UpRise - DesignUp.School’s 1st Keystone Program 🔔

Gavin McCormick: Tracking the whole world's carbon emissions -- with satellites and AI — www.ted.com

What we know today about global greenhouse gas emissions is often inaccurate. Gavin McCormick introduces Climate TRACE: a coalition of scientists, activists, and tech companies and a powerful, free, global tool to match the scale of a civilization-threatening crisis.

Design, Climate, Action: is it possible to design low carbon impact digital services? — www.designweek.co.uk

It's time to consider "carbon-conscious" approaches to digital platforms. Show that low-carbon alternatives are not a compromise but a more attractive and intuitive option, says Jason Bradberry.

The Hidden Costs of NFTs: Ecological Impact and Unpredictable Volatility — petapixel.com

All you need to know about the energy costs of NFTs, and what can be done about it. If you're an NFT artist, how should you think about the carbon footprint of your art?

Info Viz: The World's Addiction to Palm Oil Is Only Getting Worse — www.bloomberg.com

One of the world’s first sustainability efforts in global food production was set up to stop palm oil plantations from destroying the rainforest, but what's going on? Some beautiful info viz helps us to understand why nothing has changed.

🎡 Around the web

R.I.P. Bob Gill — www.itsnicethat.com

Bob Gill, designer, illustrator, writer, filmmaker, and teacher, and the co-founder of Fletcher/Forbes/Gill, the studio that grew into Pentagram, passed away last week.

Exploit or explore? asks Austin Kleon — austinkleon.com

Thinking about the unique tension between using what you know and discovering what you don’t know.

Behind the story of Li Ziqi, the "good China" influencer — restofworld.org

Li Ziqi's beautiful dream-like existence was beloved by fans across the world, and she was even named an “ambassador” of Chinese culture by the Communist Youth League. But in reality, she’s a complicated brand.

🥷 DesignUp.School Update

How's the DesignUp.School going? Saravana, from McKinsey's in Chennai (and part of the founding cohort), has a creative response to this! We were speechless! See if you can spot the "Diwali Break" in the film - we just moved beyond that ;-) And slowly moving towards the half way mark...

❤️‍🔥 Eye Candy

Terraform by Josh Dykgraaf

Melbourne-based illustrator Josh Dykgraaf creates a fusion of animal and natural forms and landscapes.

Keep learning and stay inspired,

@soosixty and @jdallcaps