Climate change is an even bigger issue than the pandemic but there are many initiatives out there trying to save us from impending doom.
A pollution-eating tower that transforms dirty air into wonderful jewellery, a sustainable mobile that won’t further pile up on third-country landfills, a biodegradable card so you don’t feel as bad when buying clothes produced by slaves are just some of the many initiatives that give us that great feeling that we are helping the world.
To help you feel even better, we have compiled the best environmental solutions that will revive your belief in humanity. Enjoy!
A machine that turns smog into jewellry
The world’s first smog vacuum cleaner is not just a fancy award-winning name. It’s a Smog Free Tower measuring 7 metres that sucks the polluted air, cleaning it through a process of ionization and then releasing it again. Capable of cleaning up to 30,000m3 of air per hour, the tower then compresses smog particles collected from the tower transforming them into beautiful jewellery. Recently launching tower campaigns in South Korea, China, the Netherlands, Mexico and Poland, the tower was created by Daan Roosegaarde. When you buy a Smog Free Ring, the estimate is that you’re contributing to more than 1,000 square metres of clean air.
A sustainable and ethically produced smartphone
Fairphone is a long-lasting ethically produced and recyclable smartphone. Easy to be repaired, the modular smartphone was designed to combat the growing waste created by electronic goods. If any part breaks, you should be able to replace it as a module instead of being forced to switch to a new phone. Even the battery and the audio jack can be easily replaced, which means fewer phones in landfills, a happier mother Earth and the survival of the human race.
A biodegradable card
A biodegradable card, Goodpay is made from corn and can cost nothing if used regularly. Besides the advantages of the card itself, the payment method is also planned to give you more control. With it, you cannot go overdrawn and you can pay anonymously for your purchases. In addition, the company pays 5 cents of a dollar will go towards charity at each purchase you make.
An ultra-effective solar panel
This ultra-efficient solar panel is around 40% more effective than the standard ones. The machine can adapt to the sun’s movement throughout the day which maximises performance – a handy feature, particularly in less sunny areas of the globe. Created by startup Crystal Green Energy, the panel was tested last year on the border between the United States and Mexico so it might have even helped stop the building of that infamous wall. It’s still at the prototype stage so don’t get rid of all your electrical installations just yet.
A net to stop waste from polluting water reserves
Nets that stop waste going to waterways is an initiative by the city of Kwinana in Australia. A cost-effective and simple way to stop rubbish from being carried away by the rain and reaching the town’s water reserve, the nets are placed exactly on the outlet of drainage pipes. In just six months, the city has collected 370 kg of rubbish from just two locations where the nets were installed. The debris is separated, recycled – when possible – and turned into fertilizer.
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