Let?s save the Earth with the help of green technology.
With the sheer amount of problems besieging the world today, it definitely needs all the help it can get. Thankfully, environmental pioneers have joined hands to help find a solution to some of the Earth?s most serious issues. Here are some of the most revolutionary green technologies that resulted from these coordinated efforts.
Renewable Energy at Home
With the greatly reduced cost of installing solar panels (from about $150 per watt in the 1970s to about $0.60 per watt in 2014), the average homeowner can now enjoy cheap, green energy in their homes. By using solar energy, consumers can save up to 50% on their monthly electric utility bill and decrease their carbon footprint as well. Adding a residential solar energy system can also increase a home?s resale value by up to $17,000 and make it sell 15% faster.
Offshore Wind Power
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the U.S. has an offshore wind potential amounting to 4,150 Gigawatts or about four times that of the country?s 2008 installed capacity from all sources. Offshore wind offers a viable yet untapped opportunity for large-scale clean energy projects. It also produces zero emissions and consumes no water in the process.
The country has finally made significant headway along this department with the Cape Wind Project, an approved offshore wind farm in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, the project encountered several funding problems, putting the future of the wind farm in jeopardy.
Vertical Farming
With crop lands going scarce, experts developed a new farming technology that allows plants to grow without using soil (hydroponics) in large, multi-storey buildings. Better known as vertical farming, this technology is a revolutionary approach that ensures the production of high-quality produce all year round. This technology does not require skilled labor, high soil fertility and favorable weather, and has low water usage. Experts claim that vertical farms can be 100 times more productive than fields. No wonder it is being hailed as the future of agriculture.
Widespread Composting Technology
The average American produces about 4.4 pounds of trash per day but only recycles about 34% of that amount. To solve this growing problem, more than 100 cities have instituted recycling and composting programs to cut back on waste and keep them out of the landfills. Seattle even went a step further and started implementing a law banning food and food wastes in garbage.
Green Burial
More environment-friendly options are beginning to crop up to address the issues regarding the environmental impact of the most common burial options being used today. Traditional wood coffins which take years to degrade are being replaced with wicker and cardboard coffins, while the use of formaldehyde as embalming chemical is being replaced with dry ice.
