From a Guest Blogger: Three Eco-Conscious Developments that are Pioneering Industry-Wide Change

In today’s world, the degradation of the environment is a serious cause of concern. Investors are increasingly concerned with climate change, and well should be, considering the rise of government laws and regulations in relation to the same. Industries have recognized this have incorporated environmental consciousness into their functioning, making the way we do certain regular things more sustainable. Here are some of the coolest developments that are changing the we do things in our everyday life:

Airless Tires in Car Manufacturing

Driving is something we do almost everyday, and while carpooling, hybrid cars and other developments recently become very popular, we don’t really think about the major carbon footprint left behind as a result of manufacturing our vehicles. Tire giant Michelin however, definitely does, and so pioneered the concept of airless tires. Hankook, another tire manufacturing brand followed suit, and in 2015 announced that their airless tires should “hit the market very, very soon.” The largest advantage of these airless tires is that they are environmentally friendly, made with 100 % recyclable material. Secondly, these tires promise reduced carbon emissions. This is due to the simple spoke structure of airless tires, leading to fewer changes in shape. In the case of regular tires, the energy loss felt comes from the changes shape of tires as they roll. Thus, the simpler structure and subsequent decreased shape changes allows for a reduced energy loss overall. In terms of production, too airless tires take half the time to be produced as opposed to regular tires, casing the footprint left behind to be severely minimized. All in all, these are a huge step forward in terms of making driving more eco-friendly.

Drones in Agriculture

The food we eat is thanks to the agricultural industry and though there are many conflicting opinions about the sustainability of this industry, one positive step is the slow but steady increase of drones being used in agriculture. There is plenty of potential for drones in agriculture, but one aspect, that of Crop Surveillance and Aerial Imaging, stand out far more than others. According to Zareba Systems, “Crop surveillance can give a better perspective of crops to farmers while minimizing the cost of walking the fields or getting an airplane to do fly-over filming.” What this means is that farmers will be able to gather data in an effective and productive manner, allowing for quicker identification of problems in the crops, more effective treatment and most importantly, the reduced usage of fertilizers and chemicals.

Wooden Mats in the Oil Industry

We use oil and gas directly or indirectly in most processes of our everyday lives, depending very much on the oil industry that is known for its notorious disregard of sustainable practices. However, certain companies, such as Cenovus, are currently trying to preserve the pristine landscape of Alberta while creating access roads to mines. How? By using wooden mats. The use of wooden mats creates temporary access roads in a stable and sustainable manner. The mats provide stable working conditions for the crew while also preserving the ecosystem underneath. Once the project is completed, the mats are simply packed away and lifted off, leaving the surroundings more or less untouched!

While these are just three developments in terms of eco-consciousness, it is encouraging to know that industries are taking a stance when it comes to issues that concern our impact on the environment. We can only hope that more companies follow suit, and recognize the value of our sustainably preserving our world.