Let’s be honest, there’s a lot of doom and gloom in the world today. Global warming, ever-expanding seas of landfill, freshwater contamination and the fact that Game of Thrones will soon come to its conclusion. It’s enough to make anyone despair. However, don’t give up hope just yet. Glances of a sustainable future can already be seen, with more energy than ever being produced through renewable resources and recycling levels at an all-time high.
Just what does a truly sustainable world look like though? Fortunately, UpCircle have had a look into our crystal bean and are ready to tell all. Welcome to your sustainable future.
Housing
The house of the future; full of exciting technology, robot butlers and really pointless bedding. It’s also south facing, able to soak up the sun through use of heavy materials for slow release later in the evening. It goes without saying that it comes with solar panels on the roof and a wind turbine in the garden, producing so much electricity it can even afford to sell some back to the national grid.
Great insulation, and the use of sustainable, ecologically responsible furniture inside makes this house warm, cosy and as stylish as anything out there on the market. Plus the allotment in the garden is a lovely spot to grow award-winning veg. Clay bricks are so 2018 and, with this in mind, the exterior has been built from cement created by organic bacteria or even fungi. It doesn’t end there though; as you leave you’ll walk along a driveway made of tiles that turn footsteps into energy. Oh and, it’s self-cleaning. Obviously.
Transport
We all know that petrol and diesel are on the way out; the loud engine roars and fumes replaced by the simple hum of an electric motor. These cars will likely be even more popular, with batteries getting cheaper and people becoming more environmentally aware. They’ll also be self-driving, allowing you to enjoy a croissant or a bit of light reading on the way to work.
If the train is more your style then get prepared to say goodbye to the days of the sweaty 7.18, breaking down during the morning commute. The train of the future takes inspiration from Japan and uses magnets to hover above the track, meaning it doesn’t require as much energy to send it on its way. It also gets you there in double quick time, looks stunning and has a buffet that serves extremely average ham and cheese toasties. Well, some things never change.
Work
Stepping out of your super sustainable car, you enter the office. Actually is it an office? There’s a bit of glass and steel but most of it is full of greenery. Balconies full of trees, courtyards full of flowers and walls covered in growing ivy. It’s thought that bringing nature into the office can actually boost wellbeing and our ability to work, as well as helping the planet. This is something called ‘biophilic’ design and simply means reflecting buildings to look more like the natural environment. It’s becoming popular right now and looks to be a good bet for the future, turning cities into leaving, breathing forests.
Food
Fortunately, future visions of Soylent Green have yet to come to fruition, with people enjoying a well-rounded diet just like today. Lab-grown foods have become cheaper, meaning that anyone brave enough can pick up a burger that’s been grown without the cow. This means less farmland needs to be created to meet (or meat) demand. People are also eating more algae, as it turns out the omega 3 fatty acids it contains are great for heart health, alongside the bundles of nutrients they contain. It turns out that bugs are a great source of protein and the improvement in 3D printing results in less squeamish individuals diving into the barrel of biscuits printed from insect flour. Alternatively more people switch to a sustainable plant-based diet or do something a bit like this.
Beauty
In visions of the future, everyone always looks stunning - their jumpsuits as spotless as their skin. A move towards natural ingredients is one of the drivers here, with people doing away with synthetic, environmentally damaging ingredients in their cosmetics. Bottles aren’t just biodegradable in our vision, they sing along with you in the shower - creating soulful melodies with every wash...
Likewise, more and more companies will look to give back, acting ethically to ensure a more equal world. This approach isn’t just the future though, it’s happening today. UpCircle are helping to create a cruelty-free, sustainable world as we speak, keeping us fresh as a distant daisy at the same time. Alongside other responsible companies, we dream that our sustainable future will one day become our sustainable present, creating a planet that can sustain future generations for centuries to come.
Just maybe without the insect biscuits...