Featured photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash
Our beloved planet has borne up under ever-increasing and possibly lasting damage over the years. While recycling and reusing are becoming more widespread, significant changes are still necessary. From renewable energy to revolutionizing the transportation industry, the whole world is working toward a healthier planet in efforts to undo and reverse the harm.
Technology is changing the world at an incomprehensible pace. Looking back only ten years, the contrast in the role of consumer tech in our daily lives is jarring. New developments aren’t exclusively the domain of consumer gadgets, though. Entire industries have been revolutionized. This includes transportation, where new technologies offer clear environmental benefits.
When one thinks of transportation, the first thoughts are of freight trucks and cargo ships. These modes of delivery have remained more or less unchanged for decades. However, a quick web search on transportation engineering will upend any preconceptions you may have on the subject.
Due in large to updated legislation regarding emissions, research and development in most sectors places a greater emphasis on greener, more sustainable technologies. While the emergence of electric and hybrid vehicles has impressed the masses, such technologies are merely the start of an exceptionally enticing transportation revolution. The following eco-friendly developments will change the transportation industry soon.
Self-Driving Vehicles
From self-driving trucks to delivery drones, the technology already exists to overthrow previous paradigms.
An entire company fleet could operate autonomously. This development will save costs in staffing. Also, it will ensure more significant levels of safety. With the cutting edge in artificial intelligence powering these incredible machines, there is absolutely no risk of human error.
RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO AVOID RISK WITH YOUR COMPANY’S CAR FLEET
Specifically, truck drivers are well aware of the extreme dangers of the road. But self-driving trucks eliminate potential human error. This therefore means the roads will soon be ideally safe for all travelers.
Self-driving cars will also dramatically improve road safety and add immense convenience to our daily traveling in a most appealing way.
This looming change of eliminating the risk of human error and increasing efficiency translates to fewer vehicles on the road. Moreover, this will also mean less maintenance and nearly zero risks of road accidents.
It may be a few years until self-driving cars are unveiled for public purchase. However, there is absolutely no doubt the development will bring about an immensely positive change to our daily lives. The primary ecological benefit of self-driving vehicles goes hand-in-hand with the next item on our list: the rapid elimination of fossil fuel usage.
Electricity over Fossil Fuels in Transportation
Once a laughing matter, electric-powered vehicles have become ubiquitous in many places. Driven in large by the efforts of the eco-conscious entrepreneur Elon Musk, the storage capacity and efficiency of electric vehicle batteries have reached market readiness.
Consider that the daily emissions rating in the freight industry is one of the highest on earth. Cutting out fossil fuels translates to zero emissions and massive savings in fuel costs.
Electric vehicles are undeniably a most positive change for the environment. Even though there are some that shun the idea, claiming electric cars are powered with traditional electricity, many users of these innovative creations opt to change their entire lifestyles, switching to renewable power use at home as well. Therefore, it is not at all unrealistic to drive an electric vehicle that is powered with solar energy or even hydropower.
Image by Tumisu from Pixabay
The Advent of Hydrogen Power in Transportation
Electric vehicles are, without a doubt, a cleaner and more eco-friendly solution. However, there is a technology that stands to both complement and eventually completely replace lithium-ion cell technology.
There is one drawback to electric-powered vehicles. The power to charge their cells must still come from somewhere. Even with some drivers switching to renewable energy, lengthy road trips can result in the need to charge the vehicle with commercial power sources.
In the eventuality that all power generated globally is sustainable and eco-friendly, this becomes a non-issue. Currently, however, most power stations still utilize fossil fuels to produce electricity.
But with the upcoming emergence of hydrogen cells, fossil fuels may soon be a thing of the past. The best explanation for non-scientists is that ingenious processes break water down into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is used to fuel rockets, so it is easy to understand its exceptional power as a fuel source.
Unfortunately, until very recently, this process was far too inefficient. In the past year or so the technology has, however, reached a point of feasibility. The trading value of companies working on this technology has skyrocketed, reflecting the potential of this zero-emissions power solution.
A Return to Sails
Intercontinental shipping remains the single most significant source of oceanic pollution. The impracticality of using cargo planes for large-scale transit means that this transportation method is here to stay. However, companies like EMP, the Japanese-owned ship engineering company, are primed to offer cleaner solutions.
By developing cutting-edge sails, they have reinvented the once-outmoded method to drive ships. Without modern technology, these solutions would have been all but impossible. However, by utilizing the cutting edge of material engineering, these companies have designed workable and practical sail solutions to bolster and eventually supersede traditional fossil fuel dependence in the industry.
A Cleaner, Brighter Future
With inevitable changes innovating the transportation industry, we can all anticipate a cleaner and brighter future for the environment. Because of the tireless efforts of climate change activists, along with those of scientists from around the world, we can finally witness a radical reduction in ongoing damage to the planet.
It could be agreed that technological innovations are the driving force behind efforts to improve not just our daily lives, but also the world around us.
There may be a small number of individuals who are confident that technology is at the core of the destruction of the planet. However, with massive strides toward encouraging the use of renewable power, among other adaptions, technology has been playing an incredible role in saving the world.
Thanks to technology and bright, innovative minds, we can all look forward to a healthier environment in the near future.