Earth Day Reminds Us That The Technology Of The Future Is Most Likely Green

40 years ago, Earth Day was created in order to bring awareness and even a little bit of love and appreciation towards the blue and green marble that we all call home. Over time the holiday has changed from a day of education to a day of action with many groups coming together to do what they can to help the environment. Over the last couple of years, when the climate change and global warming discussion heating up, Earth Day has even taken up a new mantle as a day in which many people and organizations have come together to not do something beneficial for today, but also to take action towards a sustainable future.

When it comes to green initiatives, some green technologies stand out as resources that will help protect the earth and lead engineering and technology into a clean green future. Some of these ideas have been around for decades and some our new innovations that stand at the forefront of what can be done. Solar Power, as an example, has been around since the 1970′s turning the energy from the sun into electricity. However, now it’s affordable and popular enough that it’s giving a much-needed boost to clean energy installation around the country. Wind power, the most widespread green energy, has also been around for a long time but is now finally making an impact on the world going green. If wind energy is incorporated into energy plans it can eliminate much of the carbon emission output while being both cheap and useful. Yet, these technologies have been around for years and don’t even scratch the surface of the innovations that are on the way like full on electric cars, waste management plants that convert energy from garbage, and many others.

Earth Day may have been conceived as a day for environmental education but it has grown into a day for environmental innovation.

Niranjan Shah and GEC Cutting Edge Tech, UNPEPP Develops ATV Hybrid – Explores Wind/Tidal Turbines

Niranjan Shah is no stranger to technology. As CEO of Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (GEC) he works with cutting edge technology all the time. Just as Shah incorporates energy conservation measures (ECM’s) into the GEC designs, a couple other organizations are pairing up to take their crack at energy efficiency as well.

UNPEPP (University-National Park Energy Partnership Program) is a program that brings together Universities and students from around the country to help protect and maintain national parks by way of ECM’s including energy audits and renewable energy technology (RET) implementation. The students, faculty and park managers come together to bring solutions to problems that are affecting each nation world-wide.

An example of this would be in 2004 when James Madison University partnered with Shenandoah National Park to create a biodiesel/electric hybrid for an all terrain vehicle (ATV) at the national park before hybrid vehicle design had become as mainstream as it has today. The vehicle was designed, and put together by James Madison University students and allowed rangers of the park to use it when silent vehicle travel was especially necessary to keep wildlife from being scared off.  The vehicle also reduced gas consumption and harmful emissions.  More recently, the program has adapted to explore bigger systems, such as the use of tidal turbines and wind turbines for a hybrid system aimed at providing Golden Gate National Recreational Area (Alcatraz Island) with electricity.  Several years ago the electrical cable coming from the mainland was severed.  Rather than replacing the cable along the water bed, UNPEPP stepped in to seize the opportunity to implement and promote alternative energy.

Thanks to individuals and partnerships like this we get closer to a green infrastructure everyday.