Australia Zoo uses carbon-negative blockchain tech for NFT collection

Australia Zoo has collaborated with Meadow Labs to create a non-fungible token (NFT) collection on Algorand, a carbon-neutral blockchain. 

The NFT collection is part of Australia Zoo’s 20th anniversary Wildlife Warriors project, in which 100% of proceeds will go towards a range of different conservation projects at the zoo. 

The Warrior Koala is the second NFT in the collection, following its first drop — the Warrior Croc — which sold out in the first 10 hours. 

The Warrior Croc was released on June 14, 2022, with 2000 NFTs available. The Warrior Koala — scheduled for release on Tuesday, August 23 at 21:30 AEST — will have only 1900 NFTs available. 

Image of Australia Post’s Warrior Croc NFT. Source: NFT Calendar.

Each of the 1900 Warrior Koala NFTs will be randomly generated for each buyer, making them all completely unique.

The Warrior Koala NFTs will cost $60 each, with the drop coming “just in time for Trauma Season, when when patient admission to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital historically triples”, Australia Zoo explained in a statement.

With sustainability and conservation the mission of Australia Zoo, Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Iriwn, said it is both “thrilling and humbling to see how the NFT community has come together to help us make the world a better place”.

“…Our passion is to preserve wildlife and wild places while inspiring others to join the fight,” the statement reads.

“Through this wonderful partnership we can do just that in a new and exciting way.”

A sustainable step

In the same statement, Algorand Foundation head of communities Adriana Belotti said Algorand blockchain is “very pleased” that Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors have chosen the sustainable blockchain for the project.

“Algorand’s carbon off-setting demonstrates our commitment to the environment and makes it the ideal platform for Australia Zoo’s initiative and organisation wanting to use the power and transparency offered by a sustainable blockchain,” Belotti said.

The use of more sustainable cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions is growing in popularity, following increased public awareness of the negative environmental impacts Web3 projects can have.

As Gemini chief compliance officer Andy Meehan wrote for SmartCompany in January, “public concern over the negative environmental impacts of cryptocurrency mining has been one of the biggest challenges faced by the industry over the past few years”.

“As the rest of the world moves toward creating a more sustainable future, there is an increased urgency for crypto to tackle its own carbon footprint,” Meehan wrote.

And this effort has expanded to NFTs, the latest boom in the Web3 and cryptocurrency sector, reaching businesses, artists, and zoos alike.

Australia Zoo will continue its five-part animal collectible series over the coming months, with the fifth and final animal to be only available to buyers who hold one NFT from the earlier drops.