Click here to get this post in PDF
Most people think about technology as something that pollutes the environment and will eventually lead to the destruction of the planet. But that’s actually the wrong way of thinking about it.
Technology isn’t a devil in disguise. Instead, it’s simply a way of doing more with less.
Take fossil fuels, for instance, the bad technology pin-up everybody points to whenever the subject of sustainability comes up. Fossil fuels seem like a bad thing because they put CO2 into the atmosphere and create soot. But they are much better than the alternative – logging the world’s forests to provide firewood for energy. Imagine what would happen if we suddenly abandoned fossil fuels and went back to the past. Forests would disappear overnight, and with them, much of the world’s ecosystem too. Technology essentially makes the need to log forests for firewood “disappear.” Fossil fuels, therefore, are much lower impact.
There are numerous other examples of this in action. Computers, for instance, virtually eliminate the need to send physical mail. And video calling negates the need to travel.
In this post, we take a look at some of the new eco-friendly projects that are coming online that could change the world for the better.
Automated Ocean Plastic Skimming
Plastic is unfortunately making its way into rivers and out into the ocean, causing pollution that continues to accumulate. It is a considerable problem right now. But it could become devastating by the end of the century.
Some innovative individuals, however, are hatching plans to clean up the ocean and remove plastic from the environment. The idea is to use filter technology to strain out plastic from other particles in the water, just using giant machines that do it automatically.
The other idea is to use nature itself. Introducing plastic-eating bacteria to the oceans could help to rid them of plastic waste quickly and break it down into less dangerous compounds.
Solar Projects
Solar has been around for a while. But the ability for communities to work together for the benefit of all has always been a challenge.
Sites like www.choosesolar.com are stepping up and providing solutions. One idea is for communities to pool their resources to create shared solar facilities. By collectively funding these installations, people in the community get more bang for their buck. And they can sometimes generate excess electricity to sell back to the grid in times of need.
Desert Planting
A decade ago, researchers believed that rising global temperatures would cause deserts to expand. However, they were wrong. Evidence suggests that higher levels of CO2 is actually fertilising plant life across the planet, allowing it to grow in more marginal areas. However, desert planting remains important for another reason: it’s a great carbon sink.
Now researchers are working on projects that will enable plants to grow in desert conditions. Waterboxx says that it has come up with intelligent technology that allows trees and bushes to grow to maturity with 90 percent less water and with a survival rate over 90 percent.
You may also like: Go Green To Stay Sustained! Start Taking These Eco-Friendly Steps!
