The David Suzuki Foundation is one of Canada’s most trusted non-profit environmental organizations, and always advocates for the preservation of our planet. As “one-of-a-kind” digital assets known as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) began to rise in popularity, DSF felt compelled to act.
Problem
As the craze around NFTs continues to grow, so does the environmental impact.
Every NFT is a unique token on the blockchain. In order to prove its authenticity, proof-of-work networks are required. These networks consume a very large amount of energy, which results in a very large amount of carbon being emitted. But the average person wasn’t aware of this, and we needed them to understand their impact before entering the NFT market.
Opportunity
Create awareness at the source.
In order to draw attention to the destructive environmental impact of proof-of-work blockchain activity, we needed to reach the people contributing to the process. We needed to convince developers and traders to invest in preserving the greatest work of art we all share: nature. We needed to infiltrate the platform and reach them when it mattered most.
Solution
While everyone’s fixated on prices, we showed the true cost.
We launched a “trojan horse” NFT, designed to gain attention while explaining the true environmental impact: a $50 billion NFT. The artwork is a commentary on the value of blockchain technology, juxtaposed against the incredible cost of our most precious natural resources; namely, Canada’s boreal forest. The boreal forest alone represents an estimated $50.9 billion per year in natural benefits, hence the Nature Friendly Token’s $50 billion price tag.
