Products with a Cause: Eco-Inventions
If you hear the words “pollution” and “global warming”, your mind immediately conjures up thoughts of cars that belch smoke, factories that spew toxic chemicals, or plastic bags floating on the sea.
To counteract these depressing thoughts, simply think of the many entrepreneurs and inventors, scientists and designers who all merged forces to come up with products that aim to help, however small the contribution, the plight of the planet.
Even in the Philippines, the Zero Waste National Recycling Movement of the Philippines organized a one-of-a-kind bazaar featuring healthy or organic products, and zero waste management inventions, among others.
Vermi-compost
Tony de Castro's vermi-compost, which is made from the waste of earthworms, is a cost-effective and profitable business wherein earthworms eat dried leaves and twigs and their waste collected into a two-level container until it turns into compost or extremely good fertilizer.
Go-Organic Shredder
Similarly, the shredding of organic materials to prepare them for decomposting is the forte of Oma Villona's invention - with a sifter to separate non-biodegradable materials from the compost, and a composter to mix and break down compost into fertilizer.
Green Charcoal Hydrogen Cooking System
Rodolfo Catan invented this alternative fuel for home cooking and industrial needs, which is made of biodegradable materials like grass, agricultural and food wastes, etc. These are processed and turned into hydrogen gas.
Alternative Modern Transports
On the other hand, electric motorbikes or e-bikes were recently launched in Cebu. Since they are battery-activated, they not only lessen air pollution but noise pollution as well. There are three to four 12-bolt batteries, all charged within five to six hours.
Green roofs
Green roofs or sky gardens are the perfect antidote to urban areas losing the green in their environment. Used as community spaces or chill-out areas for workers, green roofs also reduce run-off during heavy rain, and cut back on the heat that gets trapped in built-in areas. What's more, air quality is improved in small city spaces.
Solar-powered cell phones
With an alliance of fifty technology research organizations, and more and more interested big manufacturers, solar-powered cell phones could very well be the next big thing. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute is looking into integrating solar cells in mobile phones so it just powers continuously even if charged by two hours of sunlight in a day.
Green aircraft
Both Boeing and Airbus are working on green aircraft, which would mean lighter and thus fuel efficient wings. Just picture out wings made of plastic and areas with punctured holes. It would of course be flown in a different way to reduce fuel consumption and at a different altitude to prevent polluting condensation trails.
Super-powered electric car
If we have the electric motorbikes, there's also the electric car. Some models generate one-third the carbon dioxide and one-tenth the pollution of hybrid cars. There are lithium-ion batteries that can enable the driver to go 250 miles before needing a recharge.
The Poweriser
For those already wracking up their brains for alternative forms of transportation, try the poweriser, the greener version of in-line skates. Composed of springy stilts strapped to the calves, one can leap five meters in one bound, making it a “cool” means of walking, stunting and performing.
Solar-powered LEDS
Light-emitting diodes or LEDS and solar power combine to give light to rural villages in India. Formerly utilizing dirty and expensive kerosene to give light at night, solar-powered LEDs store electricity in batteries and give light to those not included in the electricity grid. And the amazing thing is this solution uses power so efficiently that the power used to light one conventional 100w bulb can now light the whole village.
There are more green inventions, but perhaps the best way to go would be to utilize them. We have the eco-friendly items both in the supermarkets and in the drawing board. So buy those and leave the non-green items on the shelf.
Sources:
“The worlds greatest green inventions.” Retrieved April 23, 2008 from
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-worlds-greatest-green-inventions-414552.html
Travilla, Camille. “Group launches 'electric bicycle.” Sun Star Cebu, April 25, 2008.
Uy, Diane. “Eco-friendly and made in the Philippines.” Retrieved April 23, 2008 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2005/05/01/SCTY2005050133780.html
(Published 28 April 2008, Smart Schools Program)
