A face mask that neutralises cow burps has won a £50,000 competition judged by HRH the Prince of Wales.
There are an estimated 1.6 billion bovines in the world and and scientists say that each one can produce between 250 to 500 litres of methane per day. Cow's can emit the gas - which is a major contributor to climate change - from each 'end', but the majority is emitted through their belching.
However, Royal College of Art (RCA) students tasked with designing projects that can help protect our planet have come up with a solution. The RAC's Zelp (Zero Emissions Livestock Project) team designed a wearable device for cattle to neutralise methane emissions in real time.
The design has now been announced as a winner of the Terra Carta Design Lab competition, which was conceived by HRH The Prince of Wales and RCA Chancellor, Sir Johnny Ive. The winners were selected by panel of judges comprising of HRH The Prince of Wales, Sir Jony Ive, Dr Paul Thompson(Vice-Chancellor of the RCA), and representatives of the Terra Carta Design Lab partners Octopus Energy, The Climate Pledge and Bank of America . The winners will be awarded £50,000 to help further develop their ideas.
Zelp member Francisco Norris said: "Winning the Terra Carta Design Lab is a huge honour for ZELP. This is the perfect platform to accelerate a climate solution with a strong design element, and we are eager to continue optimising our technology with the endorsement and the support of the Terra Carta.
"To deliver substantial emissions reductions globally, addressing the largest source of methane emissions is key – and we remain as motivated as ever to scale our solution and play a part in the decarbonisation of the agricultural sector.”
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