Earth Day is a celebration of our planet. In this celebration, we acknowledge the future of green technology is not only healthier for the planet and its residents, but more high-tech than more archaic, higher polluting options.
Earth Day and Green Tech
Industrialization has caused worldwide pollution, but we all know creating easier solutions to what was once accomplished through human labor is how we continue to move forward. Many saw a limiting binary choice between progress and environmentalism. However, Now we know that technology is not at odds with environmentalism; in fact, environmentally-friendly technology is created every day. These new choices are often termed “green tech.” These green tech solutions suitable replacements for pollution-creating solutions. According to Forbes, studies have found that solar and wind power is often cheaper than power from fossil fuels, even without financial assistance, and their daily operations undercut even the most cost-effective coal plants. Creating chargers for electric vehicles is our way of contributing to green tech. These green tech solutions offer cutting-edge options to the older ways of doing things. And just like other forms of green tech, EVs are ultimately less expensive to own and operate than internal combustion vehicles. A study conducted in March 2022 concluded that EVs are six times less costly to drive in the U.S. than gas-fueled vehicles.
Types of Green Energy
To be classified as green energy, an energy source must be renewable and must not release pollution into the atmosphere. Some kinds of green energy include: Wind Energy: Thought to be the most renewable form of energy, wind energy is suited to high altitudes or undeveloped plains. It uses the power of wind pushing turbines to collect energy. Solar Energy: The most common form of green energy, it is most often used in sunny locales such as California and Florida. Solar energy is harnessed using photovoltaic cells that capture sunlight and turn it into electricity. But the sun doesn’t have to be shining to use solar energy. It can be stored in many places—such as an EV battery—to be used at other times. Hydroelectric Energy: In common use in Washington State and California, hydroelectric power captures the energy of running water. Small streams and rivers produce some level of power, while most hydroelectric stations are located on the coasts to use the power of the ocean tides to produce energy. Geothermal Energy: It may sound scary to homeowners, but if you’ve ever used a natural outside hot spring, you’re already accustomed to geothermal power. Humans have used these outdoor springs for bathing and as a heat source for thousands of years. Iceland has so many of these springs naturally, they provide a source of regular energy. Geothermal energy is any kind of energy trapped under the earth. It’s a more efficient choice for a home than central heating and cooling because, unlike outdoor air, air under the earth will never go below a certain temperature. Experts say there is enough heat energy located just under the United States to produce ten times as much energy as coal. EVs are better for the environment than ICE vehicles even when the EV manufacturing process is powered by fossil fuels. However, even more so when manufactured using green and sustainable energy sources. EVs are clearly the most environmentally friendly option, and they still hold the utmost potential for future advancement.
Is Green Energy Really That Important?
Green energy is paramount in the development of technology. Here’s why clean energy is vitally important to maintaining not only the planet’s health but our own. Some of the effects of pollution, such as depleting the ozone layer, affect both environmental and human health. Destruction of the ozone layer destroys plant and animal life and raises the temperature of the ocean. The destruction of the ozone layer lets dangerous amounts of UV radiation into our atmosphere, causing skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system damage. Air pollution causes acid rain, kills crops and animals, and is often the result of the destruction of large swaths of forest land - the lungs of the planet. Air pollution is also a major factor in killing off animal species and causing soil-run, making it impossible to grow crops. We know emissions from vehicles cause air pollution, and that air pollution is responsible for breathing issues, illnesses, and death. In fact, the World Health Organization states that 4.6 million deaths per year can be attributed to air pollution which causes illnesses from allergies and asthma, to COPD and lung cancer. The newest bad news about pollution involves microplastics, or plastic that has broken down into pieces smaller than 5 mm. Microplastics end up in animal life, sickening cattle and fish. Plastics are often the fodder of landfills, which cause an increase in the rodent population and therefore disease. For the first time, microplastics have been found deep in human organs, including the lungs, and in babies when they’re born. The biggest problem researchers have in studying the effect of microplastics is finding a control group, since everyone they’ve tested is positive for microplastics, such as polypropylene. Green energy provides solutions and alternatives to products that cause pollution and damage environmental and public health.
This Earth Day
This Earth Day why not volunteer and join a Clean-Up in your community? There are also plenty of opportunities to educate someone with a community service project. Buy or rent an EV, then find the best home charger for you. This Earth Day, be part of the solution and embrace green tech, which can not only improve life for the inhabitants of the planet but also improve the bottom line for companies that want to be on the cutting edge of new technology. Our planet’s health and our own depends on coming up with new high-tech solutions to actions that cause pollution.