The future of today’s children and their future children hang on a balance as harms threatening the planet are yet to be addressed by sustainable solutions. As it is, sustainable developments and eco-friendly living are still challenges that we still have to hurdle to reduce present and future exposures to various environmental risks.

Environmental problems include air, land and water pollution, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, mounting e-waste generation and degradation of natural resources. It is important to address these issues as soon as possible. Carbon dioxide emissions from the United States alone will boost CO2 levels to as much as 4,807 million metric tons by the year 2050.

Although many, including major businesses, have taken steps to address the worsening effects of the environmental problems, scientists, engineers and a host of climate experts are on a relentless quest to develop sustainable technologies that can create greater and faster impact.

What Exactly is a Sustainable Technology?

Sustainable technology refers to an innovation that supports economic and social development without need to compromise natural resources by using chemicals and adding nonbiodegradable materials that pollute the environment.

Sustainable technologies are not energy-intensive and can be operated using energy produced by renewable sources of power that do not emit greenhouse gases particularly carbon dioxide.

A sustainable technology is functionable as it can reduce as well as prevent the occurrence of negative environmental impacts caused by deterioration, overproduction, contamination, depletion, erosion and eventually, loss of natural resources or extinction of wildlife.

In the construction industry, sustainable technologies include ground covers like spartan mat, which protects the soil against degradation, contamination and erosion. While such an example is industry-specific, there are sustainable technologies that provide direct solutions to the increasing level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Carbon Capture and Storage -A New Type of Sustainable Technology

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), or sometimes called carbon capture and storage is a technology that deals directly with the process of catching carbon dioxide before the emission enters the atmosphere. Instead, CO2 will proceed to a carbon sequestration vessel where the carbon gas is transported and stored for centuries or millennia.

Most of the time, the CO2 is collected from large point sources like chemical plants, biomass power plants, or coal-fired power plants. The gas is then stored in an underground geological formation built specifically for such purpose.

Obviously, CCS are best for industries that use energy-intensive heavy machineries and equipment in order to lessen the effects CO2 on climate change.