Our latest Get Involved post comes from Global Cool mate Jamie Rycroft…
Technology is everywhere nowadays, and has completely changed the world and the way we live. But now everyone is talking about sustainable technology, and ways that we can all live better lives without harming our planet. So is the utopia of the future a green one? It very well might be with these amazing green technology ideas (and we’re not talking about hover-boards)…
Magic walls that heat up and cool downNorthwestern University has discovered a material that can turn from an insulator to a conductor and back again. In essence, this could mean that in the future all houses could be built from this material, and could stay cool in the summer and keep warm in the winter. All the material needs to switch from insulator to conductor is a camera flash. With the flick of a switch, you could turn your walls on or off. If that isn’t magic, then I don’t know what is.
Solar panel aerosols?No, this isn’t science fiction: spray-on solar panels have been invented. The new material – a type of plastic – means that millions of tiny solar panels, like the droplets of a deodorant, can be sprayed onto a surface and used to harness the energy of the sun. Because these solar panels are in fact nanoparticles, this makes them a lot more efficient than your standard clunkers. This material could have a huge amount of uses in the future, from being sprayed on to electric cars (which could then charge the battery), to actually being on your clothes (and therefore charging all of your gadgets). However, I wouldn’t recommend using the solar panels instead of your standard Lynx!
Trees which help the environmentDaniel Nocera’s research team are currently trying to develop a form of artificial leaf which would be able to convert one of Earth’s most abundant materials – water – into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen could then be used to power vehicles and generate electricity. Just like a real leaf, this technology would be able to use the power of sunlight to do all of its processes, therefore making it completely carbon neutral. Perhaps you could power your home from an oak tree, or charge an iPod from a pine tree!
So it’s clear that there’s certainly a future for green technology, and that in several years’ time you may never have to sort out your rubbish, turn down your heating, or simply worry about saving energy ever again. For now, there’s still a little way to go, but green science is definitely showing us a brighter tomorrow.
Tell us your thoughts in the comments box below or if you’d like to contribute a story, photo, video or some tips on green living simply email getinvolved@globalcool.org…
Pic: Phantom Leap and PA Images
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