Overuse of resources, climate change, and deforestation are just some of the problems our planet is facing. Luckily, the technology is constantly advancing and engineers keep coming up with new tech for helping the environment. Just in the last few years, we got a chance to see some new tech that can make a lot of difference. But what are the emerging environmental technologies to keep an eye on? Here are five of them you simply have to learn more about.

Plant-based plastic

Putting an end to single-use plastics is a must. While many businesses only give plastic straws upon request and plastic bags are used very rarely, there’s much more that needs to be done. The problem is deep-rooted in the way we shop and it doesn’t look like we’re close to a solution. Luckily, one technology has the potential to change it all. Experts are working on building biodegradable plant-based plastic that might replace many plastic products you can see in supermarkets. With how much there is that needs to be done, it’s expected that this sector will boom in the next few years.

Environmental sensors

If we want to heal the planet, we first have to measure it. Environmental sensors allow us to keep track of everything from water quality to acidification. These little things have been around for quite some time but engineers are constantly updating them. Today, we have sensors that can perfectly collect any important data about the state of our planet and identify the main issues. However, we might get to see even more from them in the future. Wearable environmental sensors are on the way and so are localized sensor networks. These networks will monitor energy and water usage in buildings and allow us to cut down on waste.

Solar panels

Solar panels have been around for some time and they’re popularity has never been higher. Both individuals and business owners keep installing these things on their roofs in order to reduce their use of electricity. But experts are constantly working on improving the solar panels we now have and making them even more beneficial for our environment. Nowadays, it’s also easy to find a quality solar inverter that converts the DC output of a solar panel into a utility frequency AC. AC can then be fed into a commercial electrical grid. Another thing you can now get is a solar battery. This thing can store the energy solar panels collect and reduce your energy bill to $0.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

We’ve all heard so many stories about AI and we might soon see it help us preserve the environment. While many sci-fi movies predict that AIs might bring doom to the world, things may be a little bit different. Engineers are already working on AIs or robots that can bring good to the planet. The best part of it is that similar AIs can contribute to different ways of saving the nature. In fact, some AIs are already being used for these purposes. For example, we already have AIs that analyze icy surfaces and keep track of global warming.

Living buildings

There’s no need to say that there’s not enough greenery in the biggest cities in the world. Scientists are already working on solving this issue and we might get to see the first “living buildings” sooner rather than later. These buildings come with gardens on the roof thus helping us preserve the planet. Not only that they’re aesthetically pleasing but they also absorb heat, provide insulation, and conserve electricity. Last but not least, they also provide habitat for animals in urban locations. In the future, we’ll see more and more buildings with gardens on top of them being built and the meaning of “urban jungle” is set to change.

Technology is advancing at a rapid pace and some of the newest techs have for a goal to help us preserve the environment. Some of these technologies are already here and some will arrive in a few years. The bottom line is that they’ll play a key role in allowing the planet to heal. In addition, they’ll provide us with new ways to address important issues such as global warming and biodiversity.