What is sustainable technology and how it can contribute to a better future?

Sustainable technology is a key part of a global effort to minimise carbon emissions, reduce waste and generally lower our impact on the environment. It covers new technologies that can play a role in all sections of society, from the workplace to daily life. In this article, we will look at some modern technologies that are driving sustainability and the impact they are having on businesses.

Electric vehicles

This one is a no-brainer. Even as sales of cars decline, the electric vehicle (EV) market is thriving, and these zero-emission marvels are reinventing the way we drive. We no longer need to rely on burning fossil fuels to power our cars and emit toxic gases into the environment.

Electric vehicles are one of the most well-known sustainable technologies and their uptake will have a significant impact on people's carbon footprint. With electric vehicle ranges increasing, it makes it a viable option for businesses to switch - depending on the make and model, a fully electric car can reduce Co2 emissions between 28% to 81% compared to fossil fuel cars.

With business costs soaring, switching can also help reduce the overall running cost. For example, in the UK tax liabilities are lower for electric company cars as there is no road tax and no charges if driven in congestion charge areas.

Cloud computing

Cloud computing is a digital innovation that enables us to work and store data in a virtual environment that eliminates a large amount of waste. We no longer need to rely on disposable storage devices like CDs or USB drives as we can store data in the cloud, and paper documents are becoming a thing of the past, saving companies money on office supplies. With the rise of the cloud, we have a powerful resource to promote sustainable business and reduce the waste associated with physical storage and copies. 

New cloud technologies will enable remote working with a minimal effect on productivity. Remote working reduces the number of journeys employees make, which helps lower carbon emissions from travel. 

Big data

While big data is most commonly associated with online marketing, it also can be used to improve sustainability. By collecting and analysing large amounts of data, businesses can better understand their environmental impact and use it to create solutions to combat the issue.

For sectors like manufacturing, they can use the data to monitor and track waste output and energy consumption to identify opportunities to improve efficiency. With data, they can calculate their carbon footprint, help the environment and reduce costs by becoming a leaner operation.

Alternative energy

There is a strong momentum for moving away from fossil fuel-generated energy and reducing the carbon footprint of homes and businesses everywhere. 

Energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines can be made even more sustainable by combining them with new advances in energy storage to help businesses operate more sustainably. Energy consumption on business premises is a big area where many companies can improve. 

As sustainable options become mainstream, it's a viable option for more businesses, with some opting to install solar panels on their premises but, it can still be quite costly. So there are simple steps to businesses' becoming more sustainable, from switching to LED lights, turning machines off rather than leaving them on standby, moving from legacy equipment or even to cloud solutions. These alternative energy sources are the future where advances in technology will only help speed up its development.

Carbon capture

Where carbon emissions are unavoidable, carbon capture and storage can mitigate their impact on the environment by capturing those emissions and storing them deep underground. While it is not a solution that enables us to continue living as we have for decades - this is one of the excellent options for mitigating unavoidable carbon emissions.

The bottom line

Sustainable technology is constantly evolving and innovating - it can change the way the world works. It aims to minimise environmental impact, which is good for company profits and reputation. As new standards become legislation, business owners need to think outside the box to remain compliant, and sustainable technology is one solution to be aware of.

Zoosh is a cloud venture builder that can help businesses utilise cloud solutions for many benefits. Improving sustainability is one of them, and this will translate into benefits for the bottom line as well. If you want to learn more, contact us and we'll answer your questions on how sustainable cloud technology can help your business.