3 unique concepts that can save the environment
Over centuries, deforestation, use of chemicals in agriculture and dumping that contributes to ocean acidification, have significantly harmed the Earth’s environment. Our planet is also impacted by innovations like plastics, air conditioners, refrigerators and automobiles. Researchers have estimated that between 2030 to 2050, climate change will be responsible for more than 2,50,000 deaths per year. Therefore, modern inventors are rigorously working to save the Earth with their new inventions.
Many corporations and working spaces have integrated new eco-friendly materials and tools, along with recyclable goods, to safeguard our environment. Here are some innovative technologies that might help us sustain the environment.
Plant-based plastic
Plastics significantly contribute to environmental destruction. It’s high time that we put an end to plastic use. One acceptable option is to use biodegradable, plant-based plastics. The term ‘plant-based’ refers to the origin of the substance, not how the final plastic will behave after it has been discarded.
French scientist Maurice Lemoigne invented biodegradable plastics in 1926 using the bacterium Bacillus megaterium. Since then, it has come a long way. Plant-based plastics are bioplastics made from agricultural waste, most frequently from corn, sugarcane, wheat or food waste. They are an ideal alternative to fossil-fuel based plastics as they serve the same purpose yet are nature-friendly and help slow climate change.
The benefits of bioplastic include lesser dependence on fossil fuels, a smaller carbon footprint (less damage to nature), and quicker decomposition. Being free of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone disruptor frequently included in conventional plastics, plant-based plastics are less hazardous. However, without extreme heat, bioplastics won’t naturally degrade for a long time, not even in your home compost pile or landfills. So, although plant-based, industrial composting is essential where bioplastics are heated to a temperature where bacteria begin to degrade them.
Solar glass as an alternative to regular glass
What if the windows of a a skyscraper could generate power? That’s what solar glass, an emerging technology gaining significant attention in design and sustainability communities, promises. Solar glass, just like it sounds, is a transparent window material that absorbs solar energy and uses it to generate electricity.
The translucent luminescent solar glass designed by Richard Lunt and colleagues at the Michigan State University researchers, USA, in 2013–2014 may revolutionize renewable green energy. These see-through solar materials can replace any window or piece of glass. This large untapped energy resource has the potential to significantly reduce the need for fossil fuels in new buildings, opening up the possibility of solar cities and transportation soon. Solar glass energy is a renewable resource that significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, using solar energy can minimize water consumption, enhance air quality, and lower the use of air conditioners, also indirectly benefitting our environment.
Graphene: An alternative to metals
Graphene is a truly incredible material that was only a theoretical concept till a few years back. It is more robust yet more flexible and lightweight than steel, thinner than paper and thermally and electrically more conductive than copper. Yes, such a material does exist! The existence of graphene was first recorded as an incredibly thin layer of graphite by Prof Andre Geim and Prof Kostya Novoselov in 2004 at the University of Manchester, London, UK. Scientists expect it will succeed bronze, iron, steel and silicon in advancing our cultural and technological evolution.
Graphene, which is only one atom thick and flexible, transparent and highly conductive, can be used in solar applications, water filtration and superconductors that transmit energy over extremely long distances. Natural graphite is the ideal anodic material for a greener future owing to its minor impact on the environment and cheaper production costs. Graphene may be a key component in our green revival by dramatically improving efficiency over current metals.