Alright folks, time to dive into the nitty-gritty of environmental action, because talk is cheap, but action?  That’s where the real game changers shine.  Here’s a sneak peek at some revolutionary moves happening to get Mother Earth back on track:

• Solar Roadways

Picture this: roads that not only take you places but also power up your world. Enter solar roadways, a ground-breaking concept where solar panels line the very roads we drive on.  Places like Sandpoint, Idaho, Baltimore, Maryland, and Tourouvre au Perche in Normandy, France are already

paving the way with this new tech.  Covering just the roads in the contiguous 48 states could generate a whopping 78.2% of the United States’ energy needs.  Now, that’s what I call hitting two birds with one stone!

• Engyodontium album & Aspergillus terreus

Plastic problem got you down?  Fear not, because science has a fungal fix!  Meet Engyodontium album and Aspergillus terreus, two fungi straight out of nature’s playbook. These little heroes munch on plastic like it’s their favorite snack, breaking down a chemical compound called polypropylene used in the production of plastic, with such finesse that it’s like watching magic happen. Researchers are hustling to harness this power efficiently, with hopes of turning the tide on our plastic predicament, it’s like having tiny trash-eating superheroes right under our noses!

Image Credit: All That’s Interesting

• Direct Air Capture (DAC)

Feeling the heat of global warming?  DAC to the rescue!  This technology isn’t just your run-of-the-mill air filter, it’s a game-changer in the fight against climate change!  Picture this: a giant fan sucking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, trapping it in a filter like the boss that it is.  Once it’s full, we bury that CO2 deep underground, where it can’t wreak havoc on our climate anymore.  It’s like hitting the reset button on carbon overload, one trapped particle at a time.
Image Credit: Medium, Climate Musings for all Shapes & Sizes

So, there you have it – a glimpse into the world of environmental innovation where solutions aren’t just ideas being tossed around the room, but actions taken to make a real difference.  It’s time to roll up our sleeves and join the ranks of those turning the tide on climate change, one solar panel, fungus, and CO2 particle at a time.

Works Cited

“Direct air capture technology: innovations in CO₂ removal.” Climeworks, https://climeworks.com/direct-air-capture. Accessed 20 February 2024.

“Fungi makes meal of hard-to-recycle plastic.” The University of Sydney, 14 April 2023, https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2023/04/14/fungi-makes-meal-of-hard-to-recycle-plastic.html. Accessed 20 February 2024.

Marsh, Jacob. “Solar Roadways: What You Need To Know.” EnergySage, 6 December 2023, https://www.energysage.com/business-solutions/solar-roadways-what-you-need-to-know/. Accessed 20 February 2024.