Green Technology - Research Paper Example

?Green technology Introduction Technology makes use of knowledge for practical purposes. In the contemporary age, issues like global warming and sustainable development have become the focus of discussion everywhere in the world. There are considerations about the diminishing natural resources and the present generation is concerned about their own future as well as that of the future generations. With the rapidly decreasing natural resources replete, people are concerned if one Earth would be sufficient to meet the needs of humans in the near future. There is obviously no choice as this Earth is all we have to manage our resources in. Therefore, people all over the world are being encouraged to live green. Living green means adopting all ways and means in everyday life that would make minimum use of the natural resources and would be environment friendly. In order to facilitate people, the contemporary research and development is largely directed at developing green technology. “The field of "green technology" encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products” (Green Technology, 2010). This paper aims at discussing some of the most significant elements of green technology. Renewable energy sources Renewable energy is a kind of energy which is retrieved from such natural sources as geothermal heat, sunlight, wind, rain, and tides. Most of the times, projects of renewable energy are executed on a grand scale but renewable energy is equally usable in rural and backward areas. Kenya, a small country that has the largest rate of solar ownership for residential communities in the whole world sells as many as 30,000 units of solar power that have a capacity between 20 and 100 watts per annum (Renewable Solar Energy, 2011). Although some technologies that produce renewable energy are deemed unreliable, yet the growth in the market of renewable energy is steady. There are several forms of renewable energy that include but are not limited to wind power. Wind has been employed as a source of energy for a long period of time. Chinese have been making use of wind for watering their crops almost for over 4000 years. Sailors have also used wind to make journeys. Wind energy can be captured with the help of a tower that has a big propeller top that stands at considerable height from the sea level. The propeller’s circular motion because of wind generates electricity. Magnitude of electricity produced can be increased manifolds by building several towers and using them simultaneously. Open fields, coastal regions, hill tops and any areas with frequent and large air currents are the most appropriate areas for the construction of wind turbines. Electric vehicles Electric vehicles or electric cars do not use gasoline engines unlike the regular cars. A controller provides the electric motor with the energy for regulating the power according to the way driver manipulates the accelerator pedal. The batteries of electric vehicles are rechargeable. Common domestic electricity available in the houses can be used to charge these batteries. Electric motors are employed to drive electric vehicles. Rechargeable battery packs are used to run the electric motors. Electric motors offer considerable benefits in comparison to the internal combustion engines (ICEs). To power the wheels, as much as 75 per cent of the chemical energy stored in the batteries is converted by the electric motors. This percentage of conversion of chemical energy into gasoline is reduced to 20 when internal combustion engines (ICEs) are employed as converters instead of electric motors. Electric vehicles are friendly to the environment in that they do not emit any pollutants from the tailpipe, though some pollutants may be emitted from the power plant that generates the electricity. No air pollution whatsoever is produced by the electricity generated from the wind powered plants, hydro powered plants, solar powered plants and nuclear powered plants. The operation of electric motors is smooth and quiet. Their acceleration is stronger and they do not require as much maintenance as ICEs do. Before getting recharged, most electric vehicles can cover a distance between 100 and 200 miles while the mileage of gasoline vehicles is more. A gasoline vehicle normally covers a distance of 300 miles before it needs to be refueled. The battery pack takes up to 6 hrs on average to get recharged while a quick charge that accounts for 80 per cent of the capacity takes no more than 30 minutes to be achieved. Paperless billing With paperless billing, one can make online access to one’s bills. Paper clutter inundates everybody. Paperless billing ensures that use of paper is reduced. The service is free and secure. Paperless billing is a very environment friendly activity. It saves a lot of trees for cutting which has a very positive impact on the environment. Trees convert the carbon dioxide of the atmosphere into oxygen, thus clarifying the air and making it healthier. The service makes billing very easy. When the bill is ready, it is sent to the individuals via email. No bill is received via mail. Paperless billing provides an individual with full-time access to the current as well as old bills. The consumers are not only able to view their current and old bills, but can also print and save the bills. Paperless billing is employed in the billing of landline, internet connection, bank statements, internet hosting, water rates and insurance. Not using envelops or paper saves companies thousands of dollars. The same culture is passed on to the clients. One may experience some inconveniences occasionally, but the number of trees this practice saves makes the practice worth employing. Moreover, paperless billing simplifies the monthly filing system. Consumers are saved the hassle of forgetting or misplacing the bill or losing track of the due payment. The online billing service provides the consumers with the facility of knowing the time that they can view their next bill online. Consumers are also alerted when the meter needs to take a reading. Owing to its environment friendliness, paperless billing has become a common practice among the companies in the contemporary age. This is because of the immense emphasis upon making the business green both from the government and the stakeholders. Besides, this allows the companies to benefit from the expanding IT infrastructure. “Ninety-two percent of the 300 U.S. companies in IDC's "Green IT & Sustainability Survey 2009" said getting customers to move from print to online services is a goal they hope to initiate within 12 months” (Lombardi, 2009). In the second survey, almost 46 per cent of the respondents considered paperless billing as the second most significant element in the sustainable practices. In the survey conducted in 2008, 31 per cent of the respondents made similar statements. In the same survey, 64 per cent of the respondents gave number one priority to saving energy. Paperless billing is consistent with the budget squeeze that the IT managers have to deal with in the contemporary age. It allows them to show their executives that they are taking measures to maximize the assets by saving money. “Because they understand that much of their expanding infrastructure remains underutilized--adding to their company's capital and energy costs--green IT policies can help establish a more comprehensive approach to utilizing their assets” (Vernon Turner cited in Lombardi, 2009). Dangers of inaction: It is already late for taking measures to control the worsening circumstances, but it not too late yet. Much can be done to control the situation and have the Earth remain a habitable place for the future generations. But if serious actions are not taken now, it will not take long for the unfortunate consequences to materialize. The first and foremost danger of inaction is the depletion of natural resources at record rates. According to The Daily Green (2007), trees cut in 2005 outnumber all yearly cuttings ever made. Same holds true for oil, gas, coal and steel. If the same trend continues, there will be a sudden increase of temperature on Earth which will result into too many casualties all over the world. Besides, the world may have to experience several wars over possession of natural resources. “The United States must be held accountable for its emissions, double the per capita level in Europe, and should follow the EU lead by committing to reducing its total greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050” (Erik Assadourian cited in The Daily Green, 2007). Conclusion: Green technology plays a very important role in protecting the environment and saving the natural resources. Wind energy is a renewable energy that is abundant and will always be because there is abundance of air in most part of the world. This kind of renewable energy generates electricity without having to rely on depleting natural resources like coal or oil. Electric vehicles are quite environment friendly because they do not emit pollutants unlike the vehicles that have been in use so far. Paperless billing is another way of protecting environment as well as natural resources because it obviates to make use of paper in everyday work. Online communication and billing has played a fundamental role in minimizing the business expenses as well as increasing the number of trees. Paperless billing makes the work more manageable and makes not only the business but also the natural scenes greener. Use of green technology should be promoted today to be secure tomorrow. References: Green Technology. (2010). Green Technology – What is it? Retrieved from http://www.green-technology.org/what.htm. Lombardi, C. (2009, Sep. 24). Why all the requests for paperless billing lately? Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10360667-54.html. Renewable Solar Energy. (2011). What is Renewable Energy? How Renewable Energy Works? Retrieved from http://www.renewable-solarenergy.com/. The Daily Green. (2007). Natural Resources Being Depleted At Record Rates. Retrieved from http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/6628. Read More