Heat records are broken every year. In the hope that technology will from the climate crisis, millions are being invested in artificial intelligence technologies. At the same time the entire IT industry is already generating 900 megatonnes of CO2 per year. That is seven times the emissions of the whole of the Netherlands by 2023.

There should be another way, you would think.

How can technology and nature work together to save our planet?

Artist Sunjoo Lee researches building an electricity producing garden. The project creatively explores the collaborative possibilities between natural ecosystems and digital systems.

The garden produces electricity by harnessing the metabolism of anaerobic bacteria living in wet soil, using a technology called Microbial Fuel Cells. Each container acts as a battery and is equipped with electrodes that harvest electrons emitted by the bacteria. The plants and insects in the garden feed the bacteria, allowing electricity generation to continue as long as the ecosystem thrives.

During this Waag Open in July, we will create our very own Electric Garden in the Waag! During an engaging workshop, Sunjoo will take you into the world of digital resilience and teach you how nature and its messengers can act as a sustainable energy source.