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Meet the innovators making a difference

From a drone commander to an urban spaceman, discover the pioneers who are blazing trails

Friday 15 March 2019 16:57 GMT
Engineer Lauren Fletcher
Engineer Lauren Fletcher

Since 1890, San Miguel has been pioneering the search for new experiences . It’s not hard to be inspired by these amazing modern pioneers, including a developer of tree-planting drones and a role model for amputees, helping to change the world for the better.

The Fashion Trailblazer

Model Cacsmy Brutus

“For a long time, I wanted to hide it away,” says model, blogger and motivational speaker Cacsmy Brutus – aka Mama Cax – about her leg amputation at 14. “Now I want to display it; make it a part of fashion. It’s great to break stereotypes.”

Cax displays her prosthetic leg proudly in photo shoots, but getting body positive messages over is more important to her. “I made my look a truth, because it was the only way to free myself,” she says. “But I make the point that body positivity isn’t achievable overnight.”

The Urban Spaceman

Citizen scientist James Parr

“Some of us are too scared of heights to be astronauts – and we don’t have the PhDs,” laughs James Parr, founder of Open Space Agency (OSA). “But I realised there were people like me – citizen scientists and product designers – who can support the space programme.”

The OSA has worked on big and small design projects – from a zero-gravity whisky glass to major 3D printing lunar habitats and even a space station – that capture the imagination.

“I get to work with amazing people,” James says. “I’m lucky to hold the rudder for the geniuses.”

The Future-Proofing Farmer

Engineer Adam Dixon

With the world’s population ever rising, increasing demands face agriculture and water supplies. Could the solution lie in an Aberystwyth greenhouse?

Phytoponics CEO Adam Dixon hopes so. He’s developed a radical hydroponics system for growing fruit and veg that “could save an area of land the size of Brazil from deforestation”. He explains: “You use less land to grow more with less impact on the soil, using less water. It’s great for people – and for the planet. It’s been a steep learning curve, but I’ve grown so much as a person doing this.”

The Drone Commander

Engineer Lauren Fletcher

Former NASA engineer Lauren Fletcher’s visit to a deforestation conference hit home. He founded Biocarbon Engineering, which uses drones to plant trees and restore global ecosystems. “I design and build technology that you can wrap around a drone which fires biodegradable plastic capsules into the earth using pressurised air,” he explains.

“We plant two per second. Add in tech that lets two operators control multiple drones, and you can plant 400,000 trees a day. My original pitch was to plant a billion trees a year, but people asked: ‘Can you do 100 billion?’ I’m optimistic it’s doable.”

Discover the full San Miguel Rich List and find inspiration on how to live a richer life at sanmiguelrichlist.independent.co.uk

Enjoy responsibly. For the facts, see drinkaware.co.uk

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