How does greentech help our environment?

What is the term “greentech”? It’s all about technology and action to improve our planet. Unfortunately, pollution and degradation of many environments is not helping us. Consumerism and irrational management of waste and natural resources may lead to the collapse of humanity and many problems. The answer to this problem is greentech! 

In short, it is all technology aimed at protecting the environment. For years, man has not thought about what effects his actions will have on our planet. Today, knowing how much we have contributed to the degradation of the natural environment and how much we have disturbed the balance of many ecosystems – we try to even out these disproportions. We are increasingly successful in doing so thanks to greentech – everything that is dedicated to improving the state of the Earth. Many startups and companies try their hand at it and create greentech solutions that are then implemented as a way to compensate for the damage done to the planet. Additionally, it is a great business opportunity – currently there is a huge demand for such inventions and solutions. Hence, getting into greentech for many businesses is also a chance for great income. 

Greentech, however, is a very broad term that points to many different factors that determine how we use the Earth’s resources. Many technology companies are investing heavily in greentech, reducing their carbon footprint and ultimately – contributing to lower consumption of energy and natural resources. Unfortunately, we still rely heavily on fossil fuels, which are not renewable sources – once used they will remain empty for millions of years. With all this in mind, we are beginning to look at other forms of energy generation – in addition, ones that are environmentally friendly (wind power, nuclear power, solar power, and others). The world that is filled with greentech technologies will definitely be better and more integrated. We need this type of technology – so that our children can use and enjoy our planet in the future. 

How are big companies working for greentech? 

As of 2020, Google claims to have eliminated its entire carbon footprint by investing in “high-quality carbon offsets.” While the tech giant has achieved historic carbon neutrality, this is not the end of its efforts in this direction. The Silicon Valley-based company is one of the first in the world to achieve carbon neutrality. This happened in 2007. Google’s next goal, set 10 years later, was instead to run all of its data centers and offices on carbon-free energy by 2030. The company wants to become a zero-carbon company that uses only “clean” energy.

On September 14, 2020, the tech giant announced that it had become the first to neutralize the historical carbon footprint it had left since the company’s inception in 1998. This primarily involved buying energy from renewable sources in the same, or even greater, quantities than those needed for the company’s daily operations. In addition, Google invested its money in green projects. Microsoft is conducting similar activities – by 2030 it wants to join the group of companies that will have… negative carbon footprint. All this happens thanks to such inventions as data centers under the surface of seas and oceans and innovative cooling solutions for server rooms. 

An unexpected player in greentech 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to everyday life, and has also revised meeting patterns. More and more of them are moving online, not only because of restrictions but often also for the convenience of participants. Instead of renting large-scale facilities, organizers are creating the event on platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. According to a 2021 survey conducted by Nature, 74 percent of the 900 respondents agreed that virtual conferences should continue even after a pandemic. Greater event accessibility was cited as the main reason, as well as lowering the carbon footprint and cost. According to a recent study published in Nature Communications, online or hybrid conferences, which are becoming increasingly popular, have a number of environmental benefits. Although there is no shortage of criticism that events organized in this form hinder networking, they also have many advantages. According to the study’s authors, new conference formats can be a productive strategy for mitigating climate change.

Video conferencing apps are also a great kind of greentech, which is very important for our planet. A new study found that moving conferences online can reduce carbon footprint by 94 percent and energy consumption by 90 percent. Hybrid conferences are also good for the environment, reducing carbon footprint and energy consumption by up to two-thirds. This is made possible by, among other things, choosing the right location and providing plant-based catering.

What is green technology product? Examples of green technologies around us. 

One of the best known examples of green technology is the solar cell, which directly converts the energy of natural light into electricity through photovoltaics. Generating electricity from solar energy means using less fossil fuel, as well as reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

While some opponents say solar panels are expensive and unattractive, new inventions may be just around the corner to offset those concerns. Community solar groups, in which tenants will share solar panel products, and a new spray-on photovoltaic film using perovskites, which can turn ordinary window glass into solar panels, are just two possibilities on the horizon that hold great promise for the future of solar energy assets. 

Other renewable energy sources include water, biomass, wind and geothermal energy, but unfortunately these assets are not currently being exploited at an adequate level to replace non-renewable sources. Some in the energy industry are looking forward to going green, while others see it as both a challenge and an opportunity. The bottom line is that while non-renewable energy sources currently account for 80 percent of the world’s energy needs, over time, this simply will not be sustainable. If we hope to sustain life on our planet, emerging green energy technology must be used alongside existing methods to move from unsustainable to sustainable.

Renewable energy and buildings using renewable energy sources

Optimised use of renewable energy can provide buildings with not only high energy efficiency but also full autonomy. Solar energy, photovoltaic systems, biomass or geothermal energy help today to heat a house or prepare domestic hot water. Mechanical ventilation systems with recuperation, i.e. with the reuse of heat, contribute to minimize the energy costs associated with heating the ventilation air in winter. Self-sufficiency will be complemented by autonomous, plant-based water purification systems. The storage and use of rainwater is also becoming a new standard in today’s increasingly frequent periods of drought, and cities are now starting to subsidize the purchase and installation of systems for this purpose.

It is worth noting that sustainable construction does not only concern newly built houses. Buildings from the secondary market also have potential. Today, there are many ways to equip them to be more environmentally friendly, and thus more friendly to residents and the environment and cheaper to operate. For example, thanks to thermo-modernisation we can reduce not only the demand for heat in old buildings, but also its losses, and consequently smog in cities. New insulation is also a good introduction to more ecological and economical heat sources, such as photovoltaics, which can be installed even in the backyard garden. Above all, in the cities of the future you don’t build, you build, and old buildings are the perfect base. 

Smartphones are some of the most resource-intensive products in the world. In Europe, their climate impact is 14.2 million tons of CO2. They also include toxic materials including lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine and bromine. Yet most of us throw them away after 3 or 4 years.

Many companies have solved these problems right away. One of the leaders is Fairphone. Already fully established, Fairphone is a social enterprise that designs and manufactures smartphones with less environmental impact and a higher sense of social responsibility. The company was founded with the explicit goal of developing a smartphone that is free of conflict minerals, ensures fair working conditions throughout the supply chain and guarantees that each smartphone lasts longer.

Other green technologies 

Plant or green walls have become an architectural creation in recent years. Plant walls are vertical structures that hold enough soil for different types of plants or other greenery to grow on. Since these structures have living plants, they usually also have built-in irrigation software systems. A plant wall can be enhanced with smart technology features such as monitoring and self-irrigation to improve its survival, aesthetics and air purification potential. As with any other installation, however, a certain level of maintenance is required. Trimming dead plants and weeds and filling in gaps will keep the wall looking healthy and pleasant.

In addition to the visual effect, plant walls have many benefits. Exterior plant walls insulate buildings, capture rainfall and provide habitat for insects. The transpiration process of plants can slightly lower the temperature and clean the air indoors as well. Plants can also reduce stress and improve concentration.

A solar flower is a solar panel system mounted on the ground and shaped as a flower. As far as I know, there is currently only one commercial brand on the market – SmartFlower. Their system consists of a structure with 12 petals that open with the sun at the beginning of the day and close with sunset. Unlike solar panels that require installation, solar flowers are completely portable and ready to plug in. In addition, the system is self-cleaning twice a day, which increases efficiency and longevity.

Concise Software – Your partner in greentech development

Greentech is a chance to keep our planet in good shape for years to come. We can already do a lot for our planet – for all of us and for our children. Earth is the only planet we can live on so far – we should protect it at all costs. Want to tell us about your idea for a new greentech? Let us know! We’ll tell you how we can bring this idea to life together! 

You may like to read:
Agritech: Driving the future of agriculture with innovative technologies
Carbon Footprint Calculator – 6 Apps that Help You to Reduce Your CO2 Emissions
Carbon neutral cars – what’s new in the automotive industry?
Carbon neutral companies – who actively helps the environment?
Digitalizing Wind Energy: How to Capture Data from Wind?
Smart City – How to Improve the Urban Quality of Life in a Smart Way?
Software Solutions for Reducing Carbon Footprints