The popularity of clean technology is rapidly growing: people are realizing that by being eco-friendly and applying these principles to their companies, they are able to deliver quality products and services, while promoting the protection of the planet, its natural resources and the importance behind these efforts. As technology continues to evolve and adapt to our needs, many agree that green technology is tomorrow’s technology.
Clean technology is defined as the different products, services and procedures that aim at providing top performance at affordable costs, while conserving the natural environment and promoting the productive and balanced use of the planet’s natural resources.
The concept of this technology was first presented by the Cleantech Group (founded in San Francisco, California, USA in 2002), a company that provides support to corporations, investors and smaller companies in the form of market research and assessment on how to incorporate this technology to their products and services, and how to market them. That makes this technology a very appealing option to most companies and their target audiences.
Popular ways of using this technology in our daily lives is through recycling (processing used materials to create new ones), renewable energy (energy obtained from natural resources, such as sunlight, wind, water and geothermal heat), sustainable or green transport (walking, cycling, green vehicles, carpooling, public transportation), green or sustainable chemistry (designing products that contain little or no hazardous substances to the planet), using energy-saving light bulbs and greywater (wastewater generated from activities such as laundry, dishwashing or bathing. It differs from sewage or blackwater, as it doesn’t contain human waste).
As there is a growing interest in clean technology and its benefits, there has also been a growing demand for careers or courses focused on the topic, such as Environmental Engineering or Environmental Systems (a form of civil engineering, where professionals are able to create structures or the right landscape that can perfectly blend in or protect the environment), Environmental chemistry, sustainable chemistry or environmental chemical engineering (courses help the student understand the positive and negative effects chemicals can have in the environment), and Environmental technology courses (that focus on producing electrical or electro technology-oriented graduates, that are able to develop tools and equipment aimed at monitoring, calculating, shaping and controlling the impact on the environment or discovering new technologies that can be used to create or recycle energy.
The need to minimize pollution (as it affects not only the environment, but our health) and use more clean technology to prevent and reduce it, this initiative has led country leaders to come together and create strict obligations to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in industrialized countries.
The need for further research and documentation has resulted in the creation of non-profit organizations worldwide. The fast and effective communication through the internet, and proper ecological education in schools, and the development of careers focused on creating sustainable development and clean technology, has helped people all over the world understand the problem and educate themselves, and the new generations to favor this technology, and make the lifestyle changes necessary to make it tomorrow’s technology.
