Of Dogs, Data & Digital Futures
This summer has been anything but ordinary. From walking alongside a local in the tranquil streets of Helsinki, to attending cutting-edge talks in London on robotics and digital sustainability, I’ve found myself deep in conversations that bridge science, society, and the subtle beauty of everyday life. Here’s a collection of encounters and events that stirred curiosity, raised questions, and shifted my perspective.
1. Dogs, Culture, and Conversations in Helsinki
📍 Helsinki (Helsingfors), Finland – May 2025
Early one morning in Helsinki, I took a walk. Coffee in hand, camera tucked in my bag, I found myself drawn to the sight of a calm man walking a fluffy black Lapphund.
I introduced myself, mentioning I was gathering stories for a personal project related to my new website launch. To my delight, he agreed to chat.
Me:
“Your dog is gorgeous! How old is he?”
Him:
“Five years. He’s a Lapphund.”
We spoke about walking habits. I mentioned how in London, it’s common to see people walking dogs on leashes during all hours of the day. I asked if that was typical in Finland too.
His reply surprised me:
“Yes, very much so – especially in the evenings. Dogs are incredibly popular here. In fact, there are more dogs than babies, and roughly one in every three people owns one.”
That single fact lingered with me. In a country known for its serene lifestyle and strong relationship with nature, the high rate of dog ownership makes perfect sense. Dogs are companions, yes – but here, they’re also cultural touchstones.
What I Took Away:
- Pets can grant a sense of presence or authority. It’s almost symbolic – being led by a dog while choosing your morning coffee spot adds a certain swagger.
- Finland showcases a variety of dog breeds rarely seen in the UK. These breeds have visual appeal and character – but may not suit UK living due to regulations or urban conditions.
- When approached with respect, strangers often welcome genuine conversation. Even with a language barrier, kindness and shared interests (like dogs) bridge the gap.
2. Why Are We Building Humanoid Robots?
📍 South Kensington, London – June 2025
As part of a long-running STEM festival at one of London’s most iconic science campuses, this talk dove into the current and future roles of humanoid robots.
The event was held in a university lecture theatre, with an audience full of students, engineers, and curious visitors like myself. I’d been to this festival before, but not since 2018 – and I was thrilled to see that the hands-on demonstrations, vibrant energy, and even the food trucks were as good as I remembered.
The central talk explored the economic and social drivers behind building humanoid robots, especially in a rapidly aging Europe.
🧠 “An estimated 60 million working-age people will decline in the EU in the coming decades,” the speaker said, highlighting the urgent need for automation in care and service sectors.
Robots, we learned, are already making strides in healthcare, particularly with:
- Children with Autism, where humanoids can help with social interaction.
- Patients with Dementia, where robots assist with reminders and routines.
Yet, even as these use cases grow, there are limits to public enthusiasm.
A poll showed:
- Few want a robot babysitter.
- Even fewer want a robot personal trainer.
It seems the public is open to robotics in medicine and efficiency – but resistant when it comes to emotional or family spaces.
What I Took Away:
- Robots are entering our world not to replace people, but to fill gaps – particularly in under-supported sectors.
- Safety, ethics, and emotional intelligence are key barriers to adoption.
- Despite all the innovation, we still crave human connection in roles that demand empathy and trust.
3. The Hidden Cost of Dark Data & the Climate Crisis
📍 Woolwich, London – July 2025
Hosted by: The Cosmos People’s Org
This event took a powerful turn – away from the hopeful tone of innovation – and into a stark reality: how our invisible digital lives are quietly fueling climate change.
The topic: dark data – the digital content we store but never use. This includes:
- Forgotten email attachments
- Duplicated photos
- Archived Zoom recordings
- Redundant app files
- Obsolete server logs
According to recent studies, 52% of stored data globally is never accessed again.
The presentation drew on reports like IMD’s April 2024 article, which highlighted how generative AI is accelerating energy consumption by feeding on these massive unused datasets. Cloud servers don’t clean themselves – and they don’t run on fresh air.
“Data centres now account for about 4% of global carbon emissions,” one speaker said, “and that’s expected to rise steeply.”
What I Took Away:
- Every email counts. Our digital habits – just like plastic use or air travel – have a carbon footprint. Small daily actions matter: deleting unused files, downsizing media, cleaning up cloud storage.
- This isn’t just an individual problem. Corporations must take accountability for how they manage, store, and dispose of data. Sustainability in tech is as much a systems issue as it is a behavioral one.
- Invisible ≠ harmless. The things we don’t see – data, code, servers humming silently – are still shaping our world and warming our planet.
Final Thoughts: Moments That Matter
These three very different events, across two countries and countless conversations, had a few threads in common:
- People want connection – whether with their pets, their healthcare providers, or their planet.
- Technology is not neutral. It carries social, ethical, and environmental implications that we must acknowledge.
- We all play a part. Whether through small daily decisions or collective action, change is never too far out of reach.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your morning dog walk, your data habits, or your curiosity about AI really matter – spoiler: they do.
Thanks for reading!
Yun.Bun 
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