Recently more technology innovations have come to light to help improve our environment. While a few may argue that tech has the potential to harm the environment, an increasing number of inventions seem to be helping solve a number of our manmade problems. It has even been said that one-day technology will be able to stamp out all of the environmental damage in its entirety; we shall have to wait and see.
Just this week Project AWAREâ announced the development of their new smartphone app that will enable scuba divers to record levels of marine debris – wow, how amazing is that? It allows divers to report any debris items that they have removed from the ocean, take photos and explain the conditions. While data connection could be an issue under water, the clever app allows the phone to store the information and then submit it once connection is available – perfect!
Boyan Slat, a 23-year-old from the Netherlands has developed a system that should be able to collect more than half of the plastic stuck in our oceans. At just 23 years of age, Boyan has recognised the scale of the damage plastic is causing to our environment and is trying to resolve it. It's humbling to see such tenacity and ambition from Boyan, we always talk about how climate change and ocean plastics need to be dealt with from a grass roots level, and he is a great role model for the next generation of campaigners.
On a simpler level, and one that we can all get involved with, going digital is also helping our environment. Choosing emails over paper bank statements and other utility bills is reducing the need for paper that – let's face it – either gets stored in a filing cabinet and then thrown out or filed in a magazine rack until it's dealt with! Why not save some trees and ourselves some personal admin and have it all emailed?
We touched upon this in our recent fashion series blogs, how technology is enabling us to resell or recycle our belongings via apps and websites. We all have items that once would have been destined for landfill sites or taken up attic space, but instead people are connecting with other people via technology to sell-on and even donate their unwanted items to new homes. A happy ending all-round!
As time goes on we are seeing more renewable energy sources being used, from wind to solar and even hydroelectric energy, all of which are a much better choice than harmful gases produced by fossil fuels. While it has taken some people a while to get beyond the aesthetics of renewable energy sources, the benefits to both the environment and public health are now beginning to show and we are seeing many more pop up.
Are there any technology innovations that you have noticed that are beneficial for our environment? Share them with us on our Facebook Page or Twitter Profile, using the hashtag #APETech.