As humans, we are one of the most wasteful species on the planet. Yet despite having some of the most advanced tech in history, we still often operate outside of symbiotic systems as our expensive tech often guzzles up our resources while destroying the natural environment. So if we over-consume resources and ruin the natural habitat of one particular species, this could have a domino effect on other species further down the food chain, including humanity.
It is therefore crucial that humanity keeps developing greener technologies that do not use up our finite resources to keep the planet safe for all life on Earth. So and with resource conservation in mind, here are five ideas related to eco-friendly tech evaluates the benefits future technology will have on us, where future tech is needed the most to save resource and how greener energy will be cheaper in the long run:
1) Travel Efficiency
Funded by corporate superstar Branson and partially envisioned by tech wizard Elon Musk, the Hyperloop One is a revolutionary new way to get from A to B. The new space age train travels at supersonic speeds close above 700 MPH and it is going to be one of the fastest, cheapest and most eco-friendly ways to get around. It also looks pretty cool using the latest in maglev technology to propel itself through a high-pressured tube. It will change the way we travel forever and will make a journey from London to Edinburgh last little longer than 50 minutes.
2) Energy Conservation at Home
The company Graphenstone has just rolled out a new innovative batch of lime-based paints. Interestingly, although limestone is found in many other paints, these paints in particular contain a strange and innovative material called graphene. This material is revolutionary due to its superconductive properties which means that it better insulates your home and stops the heat from escaping. Additionally graphene is one of the the thinnest materials known to man, this mean that you don’t have to use as much paint to redecorate your home either, which also economizes on resources.
Acrylic paints are not as efficient and are extremely bad for the environment, so graphene is a welcome alternative to harmful acrylics. Graphene is also the strongest material around so it will give better protection to the things it is painted on.
3) Where is Greener Tech Needed the Most?
The countries who are the most wasteful in the world are mainly western European countries, like Italy, Germany and Spain, although North America, Canada, and Australia who produce 5.1-6 kgs of waste per person everyday. China, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, South Africa, France and some parts of South America are not far behind in terms of waste production, producing 4.1-5 kg per person everyday. It is therefore crucial that these countries in particular develop greener tech in order to minimize their wastage to help save the planet.
4) The Dawn of Completely Self-Sustainable Tech
Hanergy has recently released a new batch of electric cars that are powered by rechargeable lithium ion batteries. However it can also use its photovoltaic abilities to harness solar power energy from the sun to drive a reasonably long distance of 80 Km. Any longer than this distance and you will need to recharge the car at the nearest charging station. So with the use of its ion battery the car can travel up to an impressive 350 km on electrical and solar energy alone and is independent of direct fossil fuel consumption.
5) Green Energy Technologies Will Pay-off In The Long Run
It may seem like common sense but greener energy that does not need to be drilled out of the ground and transported, is a lot cheaper than fossil fuel energies. A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that the cost for renewable energy is falling rapidly. For instance, the price of solar powered (photovoltaic energy) has fallen by 73% since 2010. Thus it is estimated that come 2020 renewable energy prices should be down to a competitive rate. However, with the technology of renewable tech constantly improving it is likely that the prices will only continue to get cheaper and cheaper the further we get into the future.
