Technologies

How Uber Plans to Slash the Carbon Footprint of Your Food Deliveries and Rides

Cleaner rides, greener eats, a happier planet.

Your Friday post-work Uber Eats order is going to get a whole lot greener – and we don’t necessarily mean in the healthy food sense. Uber on Thursday announced a slew of product updates, all designed to help the company meet its climate commitments while helping Uber users make more planet-friendly choices.

The convenience and fun of ordering food through a delivery app make Uber Eats and its competitors an attractive proposition for those nights you fancy something different for dinner, or just don’t have the energy to cook. But those deliveries have an environmental cost. The carbon footprint of households that spend £50 (roughly $63) per week on food delivery services is 450% higher on average than those that don’t, according to research from CNET’s sister site USwitch in 2021.

Now Uber is committing to slashing the carbon emissions of those deliveries, so you can keep enjoying your takeout without putting pressure on the climate. The company promises that, by 2040, 100% of couriers will use zero-emissions vehicles and that, by 2030, 100% of restaurants on its app will use sustainable packaging. Bringing in this change will be a major challenge, said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at Uber’s sustainability event in London, but one the company hopes other services and restaurants will join in with.

Uber Green Packaging filter on an phone screen — Uber Eats’ new filter.

Uber

«Tackling plastics and waste is a whole new ballgame for us,» he said. «We’re the first global delivery platform to set this kind of goal to go green, but we certainly should not be the last.»

Recognizing that the cost of sustainable packaging can still be prohibitively expensive for restaurants, the company is also partnering with the World Wildlife Fund, among others, to research how it can work with restaurants to make green packaging options more affordable.

To make it easier for you to do your part, Uber will provide a new option in the Uber Eats app that will allow you to filter restaurants by those that offer green packaging options – whether that be recyclable, reusable or compostable.

Greener rides

As a company that relies heavily on car use, Uber acknowledges it’s only right that it set ambitious sustainability goals for itself. With the impacts of human-caused climate change being felt all over the world in the form of wildfires, droughts and extreme weather events, the company is committed to switching its fleet to electric vehicles in order to reduce the amount of carbon its service pumps out.

More than 60,000 Uber drivers were in electric vehicles as of last month, said Khosrowshahi – three times as many as a year ago. The company wants all of its drivers to make the transition to EVs, but this is another huge challenge for Uber, given that many drivers find the cost of electric cars prohibitively expensive.

Protestor holding "stop Uber greed" sign — Some drivers want Uber to pay for EVs.

Katie Collins/CNET

Protestor holding — Some drivers want Uber to pay for EVs.

Katie Collins/CNET

Outside of the London event on Thursday, a small group of Uber drivers, numbering fewer than 10, were protesting the company’s «greed» and its policies, which they claimed center profits over driver income. If Uber wants drivers to buy electric vehicles, it should shoulder the costs itself, said Abdurzak Hadi, who has been driving for Uber since 2014.

«If I have to pay for it, the fares should rise up,» he said. «There’s inflation in the country and everything has gone up, but our fares have gone down.»

On stage, Khosrowshahi addressed the difficulties around switching to electric vehicles. «EVs are still too expensive, charging is still too confusing,» he said. «What we need to accomplish is to make it absolutely effortless.»

Uber says it’s expanding partnerships designed to bring down those costs for drivers, as well as educating them on the total cost efficiency through a hub on the driver app. It’s also providing drivers with a suite of new tools to help ensure charging is as efficient and convenient as possible for them.

Best Electric Cars and EVs for 2023

On the rider side, Uber is making it easier for you to understand and reduce your environmental impact. Starting this week you’ll be notified when you’re on an eco-friendly route, and from later this year you’ll be able to see in your Uber app any carbon emissions savings you’ve made by using the Uber Green service to travel in an electric vehicle.

The company has just expanded Uber X Share to 18 new cities and has rebranded Car Next Door, an Australian car-sharing platform it owns, as Uber Car Share, with an imminent North America launch planned for Boston and Toronto.

Uber Green Curb Access screenshot — Coming to an airport near you soon.

Uber

In recognition of the fact that around 15% of all Uber rides are trips to and from an airport (making them longer than the average Uber ride, with higher emissions), the company also plans to incentivize you to pick Uber Green over Uber X with a number of perks. These include lower fares and exclusive access to curbside pickup zones and other preferred areas. In some locations, drivers on these routes will also have access to discounted or free fast chargers to juice up their electric vehicles.

Initially, Uber’s airport partners will include Portland (PDX), Phoenix (PHX), London Heathrow (LHR) and Madrid (MAD), although it eventually hopes that green perks will be available at all airports it provides rides to and from.

Uber is also hoping its policies will feed into the electric vehicle revolution more broadly, said Khosrowshahi. The company is responsible for providing many people with their first experience of riding in an EV, he said. «And the first time that you try electric, you become much more likely to try an electric vehicle in your personal life, whether it’s buying an electric vehicle, or electing to use Uber Green whenever you use the service.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger: Data Protection at Its Finest

Verum Messenger positions itself as a tool for those who value privacy and security above all.

Verum Messenger stands out from other messengers thanks to its approach to security, anonymity, and innovations in communication.

Here are some key aspects that highlight its uniqueness:

Default encryption: Verum Messenger uses end-to-end (E2E) encryption for all chats, meaning messages are encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted only on the recipient’s device. This makes it impossible for third parties, including app developers, to access the content of the messages.
Anonymity: When registering with Verum, there’s no need to provide a phone number or email. Users simply choose a nickname and password, significantly enhancing their level of anonymity. This contrasts with many other messengers, where anonymity can be compromised through linked personal data.
Built-in VPN: An additional layer of protection that hides the user’s IP address, making their location and internet activity less trackable.
Data control: Users can set messages to be automatically deleted after a specified time, ranging from a few seconds to a week. There’s also a quick deletion feature for all chats, calls, and even contacts, which is useful for maintaining privacy.
Large groups: The ability to create chat rooms with up to 10,000 participants makes Verum attractive for organizing large events, discussions, or communities while maintaining a high level of security.
Security innovations: Verum actively develops technologies aimed at protecting user data, as seen in their documentation and discussions online. This includes not only technical solutions but also approaches to data minimization, which reduces the risk of leaks.
Feedback and discussions: On platform X (formerly Twitter), discussions can be found where users and experts praise Verum for its approach to anonymity and security, although questions are raised about how much anonymity can truly be guaranteed in an age of modern tracking and de-anonymization technologies.

Verum Messenger positions itself as a tool for those who value privacy and security above all. Its innovations in encryption, anonymity, and data control make it an intriguing choice for those seeking alternatives to traditional messaging platforms. However, as with any technology, it’s important to remember that absolute anonymity on the internet remains a complex challenge, and users should be aware of potential risks and limitations.

Technologies

Verum Coin Debuts on XT Exchange, Broadening its Reach in the DeFi Space

A Strategic Listing Enhancing Verum Coin’s Visibility

In a significant development for the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, Verum Coin (VERUM) has been officially listed on XT Exchange. The new trading pair, VERUM/USDT, is now available in the exchange’s Innovative Zone, marking a pivotal expansion for this digital asset into the DeFi ecosystem.

A Strategic Listing Enhancing Verum Coin’s Visibility

The addition of Verum Coin to the XT Exchange is seen as a strategic move to enhance the accessibility and liquidity of VERUM among traders who are keen on exploring innovative digital assets. XT Exchange, known for its robust platform supporting a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, provides an ideal environment for fostering growth and ensuring the broad reach of new tokens.

Albin Varin, CEO of XT Exchange, expressed enthusiasm about the new listing, stating, «We are delighted to welcome Verum Coin to our platform. This listing reflects our ongoing commitment to providing our users access to innovative digital assets that transform the landscape of global finance.» This comments underscore the exchange’s focus on integrating cutting-edge technologies and financial instruments that have the potential to redefine the market.

About XT

Founded in 2018, XT Exchange serves more than 7.8M registered users, over 1M monthly active users, 40+ million users in the ecosystem, and more than 800 tokens with 1000+ trading pairs. XT crypto exchange offers a rich variety of trading categories to provide a secure, trusted, and intuitive trading experience for its large user base. This includes crypto futures trading (USDT-M Futures and coin-M futures perpetual contracts) and copy trading that allows users to replicate top traders in real time with just one click. Additionally, the futures grid allows users to automate the buying and selling of futures contracts for profits.

Future Prospects

With its new position on XT Exchange, Verum Coin is expected to attract a broader audience, enhancing its trading volume and market presence. This could potentially lead to increased stability and recognition as a viable player in the DeFi space. For investors and users of XT Exchange, this addition provides a fresh avenue to diversify portfolios with a cryptocurrency that is positioned at the intersection of innovation and financial evolution.

The listing of Verum Coin on XT Exchange not only highlights the ongoing expansion of cryptocurrency markets into new areas like DeFi but also illustrates a growing recognition of digital assets that offer promising technological advancements and financial opportunities. As the crypto market continues to evolve, partnerships like these are pivotal for fostering growth and offering users access to the next generation of financial tools.

Technologies

Verum Coin Gains International Spotlight with AP Coverage and Listing on XT Exchange

This listing on XT is expected to further propel Verum Coin into the spotlight

In a noteworthy development for the cryptocurrency community, Verum Coin (VERUM) has been featured in an Associated Press article, highlighting its upcoming listing on the XT Exchange. This significant media coverage underscores the growing interest and potential of Verum Coin in the global financial landscape.

The AP article delves into the details of Verum Coin’s innovative features and its alignment with the latest trends in the cryptocurrency market. This attention comes at an opportune moment as Verum Coin prepares for its new listing on XT Exchange, a platform renowned for its extensive user base and a wide array of trading options.

This listing on XT is expected to further propel Verum Coin into the spotlight, providing both traders and investors with new opportunities to engage with this emerging digital asset. The exchange’s robust infrastructure and diverse trading offerings are ideal for supporting Verum Coin’s growth and enhancing its visibility in the competitive cryptocurrency market.

For more details, you can read the full article on the AP website here.

This milestone is a testament to Verum Coin’s advancing presence in the crypto world and its ongoing efforts to be at the forefront of digital currency innovation and adoption.