If you want to know how BITS feels about 'Going Green', read this. We explain what we think green technology is, and we talk about the ways people approach the issue.

In business you have to focus on the bottom line. What directly affects you? How can you improve in the most cost efficient way? Only you can answer that for yourself, but there fundamentals that apply everywhere.

Defining Green Technology:

Green technology acts to reduce contaminants and harmful processes through directly counteracting them, or through altering the conditions that create them.

I should add that this is our definition, but we think it's pretty close to how the majority think. To continue:

The Types of Green Tech

• 'Scrubbers and Filters': Scrubbing contaminants, both chemical and biological.
• 'Recycling Techniques': Recycling waste products.
• 'Process Efficiency': Economizing on energy use, with smarter and less wasteful processes and tools.
• 'Renewable': Switching to renewable energy & raw material sources.
• 'Green Marketing'¹: Teaching people about the effects their actions have and how to use their resources more wisely and profitably.

Scrubbers: Removing contaminants directly

Technology that removes contaminants comes in two different flavors.

The first is filters, ranging from sheets of fiberglass to entire wetlands that wash rivers clean. (considering that institutional efforts to create and fine-tune wetlands exist for that very purpose, it's safe to consider it a green technology.)

The second type are counteragents, such as using sodium bicarbonate on sulfuric acid, or using petrochemical-eating bacteria on oil spills. Most counteragents are problematic at best, and are almost as dangerous as the problem they are intended to solve; but they have the appeal of being able to fix problems after catastrophe strikes. We'll cover promising counteragents and filter technologies in future articles, because both types see frequent use and are seen as quite emblematic of Green Technology.

Recycling: Reusing products before they become contaminants

Everyone is familiar with the recycling logo and blue recycle bins seen around the country; but awareness of what really goes on to recycle things is still limited at best. Different materials require VERY different techniques in order for them to be reused, and new technologies are coming out every day that apply the concept of recycling in novel ways.

Energy Efficiency: Creating less contaminants

This is also called 'process efficiency.' Our entire product line is designed to reduce wasteful energy usage. Examples of wasted energy include: phantom current, miscalibrated heating and cooling, incandescent bulbs, or simply organizing production with wasteful motion or effort.

The less energy or product you use to achieve the same goal, the less contaminants you produce. This area is also one of the more profitable for your bottom line, because less waste equals less cost.

Renewable energy: Reducing or eliminating contamination completely

Closely related to recycling in spirit, renewable energy means using any energy source that's not a fossil fuel or atomic power (although atomic energy can be tremendously efficient, it's not renewable yet.) It's not a quick fix; renewable energy has a heavy initial investment. However, if you can manage to set up a renewable source of power, the returns can be tremendous indeed; reducing energy costs in some cases to nothing at all, or even a surplus that you can sell.

Renewable energy is becoming less expensive every day, and it's rapidly reaching the point where the cost/benefits of solar, wind, and other renewable sources are worth investing in.

These are the questions to ask: How much electricity do I use, and do I have control over the source? Is there a provider of renewable energy in my area, and how much do they cost? Do I have the option of installing solar panels, windmills, thermals or other renewable energy collectors?

Social Engineering: Teaching Green

Lastly, the areas of environmental law and public awareness are important to environmental initiatives. Methods of educating, and rousing action have become inventive enough to qualify as an area of technology. Examples include environmental wikis, environmental law and legal practices, detection methods and environmental watchdogs, and tools that eco activists and scientists use to collaborate and communicate.

Conclusion

Green technology is THE field of technology to watch today. Because it is so strongly tied to process efficiency and quality of life, there are very few fields that aren't touched by it. Let us know how your life and your business is affected by Green tech, and what specific areas of technology you'd like to learn more about in future articles.

Don Forrester

1. Yes, marketing is a technology. If you have never thought of it that way then ask a marketer, they'll be glad to give you an earful.