words Al Woods
Rising temperatures, melting ice caps, record-high CO2 emissions, plastic pollution, extinguished species… Climate change is very well upon us. Ever since the industrial revolution of the late 19th century, humanity has been depleting the planet’s resources, creating uncontrollable amounts of waste, and trashing the ecosystem in the process.
Well before Greta Thunberg and the green youth movement, scientists and environmentalists have warned world leaders and industry giants to rethink their methods and practices, or else we’d be heading straight for disaster. Decades later, too little has been done, still. Fortunately, brilliant scientific minds and flourishing start-ups are now developing sustainable solutions for a brighter and more responsible future.
Let’s take a look at some of these creative innovations that could help save the planet.
Renewable Energies
This is neither new nor groundbreaking. In truth, if we ever hope to stem the tide of man-induced climate change, it’s imperative to break free from fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas).
Countries such as Iceland, the leader in renewable energies, but also Norway, Sweden, and Uruguay, have deployed great efforts to move towards clean energy, in an attempt to respect resources and lower their impact on the environment. As explained in depth on https://www.trvst.world/inspiration/different-types-of-renewable-energy/, there are several types of renewable energies that can replace polluting fossil fuels. These include hydropower, solar and wind power, geothermal, and more. They’re constantly evolving, but often face challenges in terms of implementation due to high costs and the influence of traditional power lobbies. In any case, we’ll soon have to rely on other ways to produce energy seeing as coal, oil, and gas are scarce, relative to solar or wind-based energies.
Eco-Conscious Homes
One of the greatest challenges towards achieving energy efficiency is found right in our homes. A household naturally consumes resources, notably electricity, water, and gas. As such, moving towards self-sustainability requires the introduction of new construction and energy norms in our living spaces. For instance, there are now smart home system solutions to monitor and help reduce household emissions. Such initiatives can make a great difference in preserving the planet and keep people’s environmental impact in check.
Plastic Alternatives
A quick look around your home or across a supermarket aisle will have you realize just how reliant we are on plastic. From food containers, electronic items, and other various consumer goods, our lives are overflowing with plastic. The issue is that the large majority of the plastic produced isn’t recycled, and ends us in landfills or in our oceans. That’s why a number of companies are looking to develop viable solutions using fully recyclable materials to replace the traditional plastic bottles, bags, saran wrap, and more.
Sustainable Fashion
Unsurprisingly, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting sectors there is, generating over $2 trillion worldwide. With so much demand and considering the standards of competition in the market, retailers and brands are forced to minimize their costs, which results in a very negative impact on the planet. Thankfully, however, the new generation of fashion designers is more aware than ever of the need to produce clothes with minimal environmental impact and that are 100% recyclable. This should effectively put a stop to absurd and wasteful practices, such as throwing away or incinerating unsold products.
Organic Agriculture and Foods
It’s no secret that the world’s population is increasing at an exponential rate. This means that the global demand for food will only keep rising in the coming decades. Today, we are using GMOs, herbicides, and pesticides en masse to produce meat, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Several studies have established the noxiousness of these chemicals, which is why there is a growing trend toward organic agriculture and food production. They use natural pesticides such as insects along with organic preservatives to help extend the shelf life of various food items.
Ethical Electronics
Given how prolific technology and gadgets have become these days, certain firms are now in the business of producing ethical electronics (phones, computers, laptops, cameras, and more). In reality, a great number of components needed to put together this equipment requires a staggering amount of energy and resources. An innovation that was recently developed is the Fairphone, designed as a recyclable, long-lasting, and easily repairable phone. This limits electronic discharged good and programmed obsolescence, sadly all-too-common practices.
Eventually, all of us, even industry giants, will be forced to reexamine how we produce and consume energy. The current model is simply nowhere near sustainable. Now, with the eco-conscious mentality slowly but surely making its way into the minds of people, it’s never too late to elaborate effective solutions that will help save the Earth and give hope to future generations.
