5 Eco-Friendly Innovations That Could Change the World

As people become more aware that many of their activities and actions affect the environment, many innovative thinkers are developing solutions to tackle known problems and change the world for the better. Which eco-friendly innovations have researchers been working on lately, and how will their efforts help?

1. Tackling Food Security Challenges With a Freshwater Alga

Many people struggle to afford or access nutritious consumables. That increasingly widespread problem restricts their food security and has caused many scientists to seek viable solutions. A team from the University of Birmingham believes that a freshwater alga called Chlorella vulgaris could help solve this problem. They say the alga has plenty of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, making it worthy of additional investigation. 

The team performed in-depth research and found that this microalga is a sustainable food source that has antioxidant properties. It is already available in tablet and powder form as a supplement. However, the researchers see a future where people could find scalable and eco-friendly ways to boost its production and integration into the food industry. 

Their work revealed many compelling reasons to do that. For example, the researchers found that up to 58% of C. vulgaris by dry weight is protein, and up to 55% is carbohydrates. It also contains essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.

In addition to its nutritional advantages, C. vulgaris has environmental benefits, including carbon capture and wastewater-cleansing capabilities. Although more work must occur to make the microalga more commercially available and improve its widespread acceptance, this work showed that possible food insecurity solutions can come from unexpected sources. 

2. Reinforcing a Seawall to Protect Biodiversity and Property

With many areas increasingly experiencing extreme weather, such as flooding, engineers have become interested in techniques that could protect homes and other buildings from destruction. However, they are also eager to find eco-friendly innovations that remain mindful of the planet. These efforts have caused the rise of eco-engineering, which integrates humans with the environment for mutual benefits. 

A strong example of the possibilities comes from Swansea University, where a team investigated the best ways to strengthen a seawall against strong storms while simultaneously attracting various types of marine life, from seaweed to barnacles. The work centered on installing panels that remained in place for a year and analyzing the results to see how different locations and materials supported or discouraged biodiversity.

This project was a collaborative effort that involved local authorities and a construction firm. The seawall is one of the first major efforts in the United Kingdom to incorporate this kind of engineering. Those involved used 135 hexagonal concrete test panels mounted on three parts of the sea wall. People also put them at three heights to assess the differences caused by submersion. 

One finding was that rough panels with well-defined ridges worked best for attracting sea creatures. Additionally, they liked the lowest surfaces best, which were underwater the longest. These takeaways will prove valuable for this project and others that benefit the environment and humans. 

3. Turning Sewage Sludge Into Useful Products With Solar Power

Industrial and city-related growth has caused an increase in sewage sludge. However, it isn’t easy to process due to factors, including its complex structure and contaminants. Researchers from Nanyang Technological University Singapore have used a solar-powered method that turns the sludge into things people can use. Their three-step process relies on mechanical, biological and chemical techniques.

Proof-of-concept tests showed the group’s approach is more efficient than better-known options. Additionally, it completely removes heavy metal contaminants and recovers more resources than anaerobic digestion while being more economically feasible and providing a smaller environmental footprint. 

The project’s lead researcher noted that this method exemplifies the circular economy because it turns a former waste product into animal feed and green hydrogen. The latter is a clean energy source that scientists and other concerned parties have given significant attention to over the past several years. 

First, this process mechanically breaks down the sewage sludge, and a chemical separates heavy metals from organic matter. Next, an electrochemical process uses special electrodes to turn the sludge into useful materials. Finally, the introduction of bacteria into the process stream converts nutrients into single-cell proteins suitable for animal feeds. This purposeful example shows that many eco-friendly innovations require examining multiple solutions for known problems.

4. Making an Eco-Friendly Detergent 

Whether washing dishes or clothes, many people use detergents daily and don’t think about the negative environmental impacts. Unfortunately, many of these commercially available products are incompatible with the environment because they do not break down easily and could trigger algal blooms that disrupt the ecosystem. 

Researchers developed an alternative made from corn protein and wood fibers to solve those issues. Although people have tried similar eco-friendly innovations, many had significant downsides that made them unsuitable for widespread use. For example, some were difficult to rinse off or were too expensive to manufacture at scale. 

People creating this new option focused on ingredients that are abundantly available in renewable sources. Their work combined the cellulose nanofibers in wood with corn’s zein protein. Experiments showed that this detergent was more effective than conventional laundry powder at removing fabric stains, and it left no residue.

Additionally, this detergent worked almost as well as conventional dish soap when the team tested how well it removed oily stains from various popular materials, such as ceramic and plastic.

5. Finding Eco-Friendly Innovations for 3D Printing

Many people believe 3D printing could address many societal problems because evidence suggests it could be a more cost-effective way to build homes quickly, potentially reducing the severity of housing crises. However, a research team at the University of Virginia was the first to explore whether introducing plant-based materials called cellulose nanofibrils to 3D-printed concrete could make the process greener. 

This process requires a specialized 3D printer and computer-aided design software. It dispenses a cement-like material in layers to build structures. Although the engineers involved in this process have more parameters to examine, their early results showed that structures could be more eco-friendly and resilient if people incorporated the chosen materials into their approaches. 

Cellulose nanofibrils come from wood pulp, and research suggests their properties could improve how well the material flows from the 3D printer while enhancing the mechanical strength of the composites. Additional tests showed this 3D-printing additive increased the printed structures’ resistance to pulling, compression and bending. All those characteristics could make homes more durable.

Making the World a Better Place

These examples show that eco-friendly improvements can come from various efforts. Although most of these endeavors required significant trial and error and a detail-oriented approach, the hard work paid off in ways that could positively impact the planet and its inhabitants.