YML Launches FIREWATCH, Solana-Based Wildfire Project Employs NFTs to Save California
By YML
YML announced the launch of it first web3-enabled project, FIREWATCH, a first-of-its-kind NFT project designed to fund wildfire prevention in California. Since launching on August 31st, FIREWATCH has earned recognition from Forbes, Adweek, The Drum, NFT Evening, and an array of other publications.
”In a pioneering step forward to use non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for social good, YML, a digital innovation agency, just announced the launch of an NFT collection called FIREWATCH that aims to promote education, awareness, and preventative behavior to address the expansion of forest fires and environmental degradation in California,” shared Forbes.
When somebody purchases a FIREWATCH pop-art NFT of California’s landscape, 100% of the proceeds fund wildfire prevention and reforestation in partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization dedicated to global reforestation. YML built, designed and launched FIREWATCH on Solana’s eco-friendly blockchain, ensuring every transaction is carbon-offset.
In less than six months, YML’s multidisciplinary team of designers and technologists built FIREWATCH from scratch.
“We are thrilled to launch the FIREWATCH project and leverage our expertise in sustainable web development to promote reforestation and forest fire resiliency at a time when it is so urgently needed”, says Ashish Toshniwal, Founder and CEO of YML. “As NFTs are still in their relative infancy, we are also excited to demonstrate how this emerging technology can be harnessed for positive change.”
The FIREWATCH project aims to flip the script on conversations about NFT’s and the environment, proving that it is more than possible to operate the technology sustainably. On average, NFT transactions use 340 kilowatt hours of energy, which is more than one-third of the energy a typical American home consumes in one month. In comparison, Solana transactions expend less energy than three Google searches and 17 times less energy than a full phone charge.
"It's exciting to see FIREWATCH utilize NFTs on Solana to mobilize community and action around climate change,” said Amira Valliani, policy lead at the Solana Foundation. “NFTs are becoming an increasingly popular way for communities to come together around shared causes."
This project comes at a time when global climate change is becoming increasingly urgent. 2020 and 2021 recorded the highest number of California wildfires in history, with more than 4 million acres burned in the state. Additionally, with the current state of the environment, climate scientists predict a 50% surge in wildfires by 2050. Through FIREWATCH, YML anticipates generating significant funds benefitting fire prevention and restoration projects across the state of California.
"We all have a role to play in protecting the environment and combating climate change, and we admire YML's dedication to being an innovative force for good,” says Matt Hill, Founder & Chief Environmental Evangelist at One Tree Planted.
The FIREWATCH project is currently live at https://firewatch.fund where NFT units can be purchased based on four tiers — $100, $500, $3,000 and $100,000.
Want to learn more about FIREWATCH? Get in touch, and take a look at how YML built FIREWATCH