Here’s Some Good News about Clean Energy and Raw Materials
People often get scared by the constant breaking news. There always seems to be a mega-storm barrelling towards a country, a wildfire out of control or air pollution making a city nearly unlivable for its residents. It’s easy to feel like there’s no way to get out from under the negative updates, but there is some good happening in the world.
Motivated by the warming climate and changing environment, scientists and civilians alike strive to make the earth a better place every day. It’s why there’s still some good news to discover, especially when you know where to look.
Read on to learn some good news about clean energy and raw materials. It’ll encourage you to keep up the sustainable efforts you make in your own life and give you a more positive outlook on what the future holds.
1. Going Green Is More Popular
When people started talking about going green decades ago, it seemed like a fad. Only a few people here and there bought into the idea. Large groups of people waved it off as a trend, but it’s only grown stronger with each passing year.
Now the world sees the effects of pollution every day. It’s harder than ever to ignore climate disasters and oil spills, which is why going green is more popular than ever before. People have invented things like eco-friendly laundry detergent, edible water bottles and electric cars. Humanity can stop and reverse the damage done in previous years with the right tips and help from others.
2. Solar Panels Are More Affordable
Another way people have made a considerable difference in the fight to go green is by making solar panels more affordable. They used to be an expensive option that only the well-off could afford, but now they’re popular in middle-class neighbourhoods and could become even more widespread.
Santosh Swain, a scientist who works at Washington State University’s Center for Materials Research, recently mentioned a change in the future of solar energy. He said based on breakthrough efforts, the cost of cadmium telluride could fall by 45% or more, making the key ingredient to solar panels more affordable.
That gives more households the option to stop using electricity for their daily needs. Power plants produce 65% of their electricity from fossil fuels. That releases harmful substances and byproducts into the environment, which could stop with more widespread use of solar panels.
3. Businesses Strive for Sustainability
Individual environmental awareness is important, but business and corporate action make a more significant impact. Businesses know their customers value sustainability, so they’re making eco-friendly products and statements to meet this need and improve the planet.
When large companies alter even the smallest business practice, they make a positive difference around the world. They also give consumers more choice in what they buy, which opens the world of green alternatives to people who might not otherwise consider them.
4. People Want to Invest
There are plenty of ways people can make their lives greener, but investments in bigger changes are becoming more common. Clean energy technologies are more cost-efficient, making them prevalent in bigger regions. Texas, one of the largest American states, pays the least in energy costs because they invest in wind farms. Clean energy is economically friendly, inspiring people to invest and experiment with it.
The Future is Bright
Every day, the world inches closer to a future where people using fossil fuels are the odd ones out. Whether it’s wind farms, solar panels or renewable materials, sustainable lifestyles are becoming the preferred way for people around the world to live. With time, more progress will show itself in the forms of new inventions that explore the use of clean energy in daily lives.
Author Bio
Jenna Tsui is an environmental and tech journalist who co-owns The Byte Beat blog. She writes about the latest news in sustainability, disruptive tech, environmental science and more. Check out her work on TBB or follow her on Twitter @jenna_tsui
