Smart innovations for a greener future

Smart innovations
 for a greener
 future 

• Introduction

In the present era, where growth and profit are the most sought-after topics by any company, industry, or even an individual, we neglect the damages and harm we are causing to the environment and society through the production and consumption of products, services, and processes that are carried out both inside and outside the small-scale and largescale industries.

For example, construction of any building or structure requires materials whose production causes a lot of carbon, sulphur, and various other emissions. The improper management and disposal of waste produced during the construction, further cause harm to the environment.

The rise in global warming, the poor air quality index, poor quality of life, and increase in pollution are not hidden from anyone. These instances have created a high time for industries, businesses, and individuals to move towards smart innovations, green practices, and methods that are sustainable, at the same time not compromising with the quality of products and services or efficiency of the processes. 

We need to go green, and going green doesn't just only mean planting trees or reducing deforestation; it includes conserving resources, creating processes and products that cut emissions and other harm to the environment and society, promoting a circular economy, and various other aspects.

There are various methods, technologies, and innovations employed by some of the industries , businesses, and individuals who care about the future to move towards a green world and sustainability. Some of the innovations and processes are still in development or initial phases, requiring further research and testing before they can be implemented on a larger scale.

• How We Are Going Green: Innovations & Actions -

Some of the innovations and methods used by companies and individuals for going green includes -

1. Nanotechnology -

It is a new way of creating novel chemical and biological nanostructures, understanding their properties, and finally learning about how to organise these new nanostructures into larger and more complex functional structures and devices.

The technology helps to create materials and processes that have less negative impact on the environment, have longer life cycles, and require negligible maintenance, thus reducing emissions.

Companies are using graphene (material made using nanotech) based batteries and energy storing devices , reducing the use of harmful chemicals. Nanosensors have been developed to detect harmful gas emission and heavy metals in the surrounding area. And various nano mixtures have been developed that absorb these harmful emissions due to the high adsorption rate of nanomaterials.

2. Green Fuels -

These are the renewable and clean fuels, derived from materials or processes that emit very low or no carbon and other harmful emissions. And their consumption is also less harmful as compared to conventional fuels.Various green fuels include -

i) Biogas -

Organic waste produces (a green greenhouse gas) on decomposition. To divert this harmful gas , the organic waste is being converted into biogas using an anaerobic digestion process so that it can be used as a renewable fuel
source.

It is being used for cooking and heating in rural areas and electricity production.

ii) Bioethanol -

produced by fermentation of sugarcane. On burning, it produces water and CO₂, but this CO₂ is carbon neutral because it is the same CO₂ used by plants to make

bioethanol.

iii) Green Hydrogen - 

Also known as the 'fuel of the future', it is produced by electrolysis of water and produces water and heat on combustion with oxygen (O₂), thus producing zero harmful emissions from production to use. It has very high efficiency, but the only challenge is it's difficult to handle nature as it is highly flammable. 

It is being used in the transportation and mobility sector at present .

3. Green materials -

These are the materials that replace the traditional materials by reducing the harmful impacts they do to the environment. They produce significantly less emissions during their lifetime, let it be their production, use, or disposal. Different fields where industries have started to use green materials include -

i) Construction -

The companies have started to invest in green construction materials. Conventional cements, bricks, and other elements cause lots of carbon emissions, which have made the construction industry one of the most air-polluting industries. Bio cements , eco-friendly bricks, and components are starting to gain attention and are being used in various construction projects.

These bio-bricks and bio-cements not only promote sustainability but also offer enhanced properties and durability.

ii) Packaging and consumer goods -

Green materials such as bio-plastics, compostable films , recycled papers, and materials that are biodegradable are being used for packaging and shipping processes. This reduces waste and pollution .

iii) Healthcare - 

Healthcare industries generally produce non-biodegradable and toxic wastes. The use of biodegradable polymers for the production of recyclable syringes ,

instruments, and biodegradable bandages is significantly reducing the waste generated .

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things(IoT) - 

Industries have started to integrate AI and IoT in their processes and this had let to transformation of industries into Industry 4.0 . Although this is in early stages, It's getting more and more popularized day by day and companies have started to invest in it as it improves the efficiency of processes and reduces the man-power requirement , energy consumption and waste produced; thus increasing the profits along with promoting green practices .

For example , Countries like China are using AI and IoT to develop dark factories—automated manufacturing units that don’t require lighting. Robots handle operations with precision without human presence. This reduces energy consumption significantly, contributing to greener industrial processes.

The innovations and processes discussed above are majorly adopted by companies and industries. But what about individuals? Let's now explore the practices that the common people are also incorporating in their daily lives for achieving a greener future .

5. Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Infrastructure -

The introduction of EVs has changed the landscape of mobility.They are providing a greener method for transportation. Although production of batteries and energy storage units causes soil degradation and water depletion to some extent , the overall environmental footprint is significantly less than those of conventional diesel and petrol-running automobiles .

With rising prices of fuel , people are also moving towards electric vehicles as their capabilities to move longer distances and efficiency is increasing alongwith advancements in the charging stations. This is helping us to transition into a cleaner and greener future.

5. Use of Renewable Energy -

Small-scale industries and individuals are shifting towards renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, hydro energy, etc., for generating electricity. Solar panels on the rooftops of houses, windmills in high-wind-flowing areas, and hydropower plants near dams, biogas and other renewable energy sources are providing greener alternatives for electricity and power generation for houses and industries.

6. Proper waste management practices - 

Improper waste management poses harmful effects to the environment and society. They attract diseases and cause land, water, and air pollution. People are now getting aware and have started to use proper waste management techniques such as the 5R technique and proper waste sorting practices.

The 5R principle includes 5 stages of waste management:

i) REFUSE  🚫 - 

refusing unnecessary products and buying products with minimal packaging .

ii) REDUCE 📉 - 

Reducing the use of unnecessary products, buying in bulk, and avoiding single-use products .

iii) REUSE  🔁 -

Reusing old products , donating them, or repairing damaged ones to use again.

iv) REPURPOSE 🛠️ - 

Transforming old items into new ones with new purposes. For example, converting old clothes into carry bags .

v) RECYCLE ♻️ - 

Recycling the waste properly if the above 4 stages can't be utilised .

Sorting waste at the homes only is helping reduce the waste management cost and complexity at the waste management plants.

The role of recycling facilities and the waste management industry is also crucial here. They are working on new solutions and methods to convert waste into useful items.Different methods, such as incineration and plasma gasification, are being used to convert waste into renewable energy sources .

• CONCLUSION -

We are seeing various companies, industries, and individuals adopting great practices and processes. These efforts by them are admirable but not sufficient enough. We require more and more companies and businesses to realise the importance of going green and start investing in green infrastructure. What is stopping them from doing so? There are various challenges that are hindering the advancement to a greener future. What are they? The challenges include -

i) Extensive research and testing requirements  🧪🔬📝-

To start working with green processes and materials, the first and foremost requirement is researching and testing them to make them feasible and efficient. This requires time and funds.

ii) High upfront cost 📈💵⏳-

The initial investment for green infrastructure, machinery , systems, and materials can be significantly high , which makes companies reluctant to invest time and money in them.

iii) Lack of awareness and supportive policies ❓🔖📑 -

There is a limited awareness about the benefits of going green among the public and industries. Also, the lack of incentives, policies, and regulations set by the government are very much the key reasons why industries are refraining from going green and adopting sustainable practices .

We still have a long way to go, but with continuous advancements in research, technology, awareness and supportive policies we can envision a greener and sustainable future .