Let’s face it: the first thing that much of the general public thinks when it comes to waste and pollution are massive industrial complexes using raw materials to produce goods and products. Most of the time, these companies’ resources and raw materials are considered non-organic and won’t decompose as easily as other materials. Plastic and synthetic material doesn’t decompose easily, leading to waste management systems having to dispose of used plastic and electronic waste in landfills.
However, it’s not just the products that are being produced that should be the only concern. Most industrial facilities and complexes will usually expend a good amount of energy in producing these products, which can often lead to industrial wastes.
Massive Waste Production
Several first world countries would produce about 4.5 million tons of hazardous industrial waste every year, with around 57 tons of waste being produced by the 1970s. Decades after, the total amount of waste has amounted to 265 million tons. These numbers are exclusive to the United States alone.
Can you just imagine the amount of waste produced by industrial complexes around the world?
Fortunately, many industries and businesses are well-aware of the current environmental crisis that’s caused by greenhouse gas emissions, the production of industrial waste and other forms of pollution. For the last few years, several corporations and companies have been cutting down on producing non-organic and synthetic raw materials that might cause harm to the environment.
Another way of mitigating the effects of pollution and industrial waste is by substituting these materials with more sustainable ones. Sustainable technology is on the rise, and most would say that it’s currently on equal footing with other digital innovations. Experts would say that sustainability will probably be one of the significant focuses by major business conglomerates around the world in the next couple of years.
Still, that doesn’t mean that we can’t start doing our part now in saving the environment. So what are some eco-friendly innovations that can help both the environment while still producing the necessary products for the environment?
What is Sustainable Tech?
Sustainable technology is defined as being an environmentally-safe and stable means of operating equipment that’s beneficial to both society and the current economic climate. For the most part, sustainable tech is known for being a broad term and will usually encompass a wide array of technological innovations and eco-friendly applications.
Technically, almost every known tech giant and corporation wants to make a difference in the community, and being environmentally sustainable is the best way of making a lasting impact, not just for the current generation but for succeeding generations. Sustainable technology is known for addressing concerns on the already-changing climate, overconsumption of goods, the biodiversity crisis, and greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the real challenge here is being able to apply much of these technological innovations at both a local and national level. But even though sustainable tech might not be fully implemented as of the given moment, we can definitely see some changes and innovations in both the public and private sectors.
Here’s what you’ll need to know.
Manufacturing With Renewable Resources
Since industrial and manufacturing facilities are at the forefront of how waste is disposed of, most innovations are focused more on substituting raw materials and resources that are used in manufacturing goods with more eco-friendly alternatives.
Some clothing companies and corporations that produce millions of dollars worth of revenue in clothes are starting to use organic material as a means of cutting down on the effects of industrial waste on the environmental crisis.
Industrial oil is also known for being a non-renewable energy source that many manufacturing plants use. One of the more recent state-of-the-art innovations known for not using industrial oil in operating is the oil-free and oil-less air compressor. These oilless air compressors are often used in food processing plants and packaging companies.
Working Together
In terms of research and development, the best way for most business conglomerates to get the right results is by pooling resources together and working in a cooperative manner. Several companies are already working in collaborations as a means of achieving better technological innovations.
Companies like Ørstred are known for collaborating with Microsoft to optimize renewable technology, especially in the form of wind and bioenergy, through countries like Denmark. Last year, the innovations of Ørsted had made it the most sustainable company worldwide.
This year, there are bound to be numerous innovations in sustainable technology that will help cut down on pollutants, emissions and industrial waste. Although there may still be businesses and organizations that want to increase their profit margins and industrial productivity without taking into account sustainability efforts, we should still do our part in protecting the environment by using sustainable energy and equipment that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
