When consumers spend their money on green technology, they are spending their money to demonstrate their vote for a cleaner environment. The demand for green technology is fueled by environmentally-minded consumers eager to get their hands on products aligned with their hopes for a cleaner environment.
The broad spectrum of inventions, innovations, and technological breakthroughs collectively come together under the large umbrella of green technology. This ranges from gadgets and gizmos, to solar-powered innovations, other renewable energy sources, as well as sustainability practices in nearly every field imaginable.
Here's a long list of green tech and what it encompasses:
high efficiency appliances
hybrid automobiles
alternative fuel and energy sources
sustainable urban developments
bamboo laptops
disposable plates, bowls, and utensils
smart meters
solar chargers for devices
Other Side to Green Tech is E-Waste:
The other side to green technology is the waste that is created with the production and potential use of the products and devices. The rare earth minerals used to make all these products and innovations are highly toxic to people and the environment.
Common materials used to produce green technology for electronic products include mercury, lead, cadmium, and other toxic substances. When waste is generated in production of an item, the use of a product, or the actual product itself, it is called e-waste.
A studied commissioned by the United Nations Environmental Program made clear their concerns of what they see as a mounting problem. According to the case study's findings, Jim Willis, Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention said “E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide and a key waste stream under the Basel Convention.”
He went on to say, “Dealing with electronic and electrical equipment properly presents a serious environmental and health challenge for many countries, yet also offers a potentially significant opportunity to create green businesses and green jobs.”
This has already proven to be true as companies have developed business models based on recapturing the e-waste streams and recycling the reusable toxic materials.
Available Solutions:
Recycling is one of the most obvious solutions for the growing e-waste dilemma. Well known leaders in the environmental movement such as GreenPeace have called on the industry to take the lead in creating systems to recapture, reuse, and recycle the items which they produce for years.
They claim companies benefiting from the profit of the products should be responsible for the waste generated from the products. So far, the pressure from environmental groups has not yet made industry leaders take actions to improve recycling programs or voluntarily create campaigns to lessen e-waste.
Successful strategies for e-waste solutions have primarily come after laws and regulations are put in place limiting the amount of e-waste winding up in landfills. Once laws and regulations are passed, everyday consumers are challenged with adopting and adhering to these regulations.
More administration in the form of public awareness campaigns may be needed to bring consumers' attention to the problem of e-waste. Green tech manufacturers can capitalize on their customers' core beliefs in promoting a cleaner environment. Examples such as working a recycling campaign into a successful marketing strategy could be posed as a symbiotic relationship with the consumer and business.
What will the future bring:
Many are of the opinion that the first 100 years of industrialization brought about more change and technology than any other time in human history. As a result of so much change, these same people might argue that one of the obvious consequences is the enormous price that the environment and in turn public health has paid.
In order for the green technology advancements to have less of a negative impact on the environment, making effort to reuse the rare earth minerals that contribute to toxic waste dumps is a solution worth exploring immediately.
via Examiner National Edition Gadgets & Tech Channel Articles http://www.examiner.com/article/green-technology-vs-e-waste-the-growing-global-dilemma?cid=roadrunner