We live in a rapidly changing world, and we frequently hear about new and exciting intellectual properties and innovations. These inventions make our lives easier while also benefiting the inventors financially. While most inventions are brilliant, the sad truth is that some of them have significant ramifications for humanity – many inventions are severely harming the environment because innovations mean new factories. These factories, in turn, emit toxic gases, consume large amounts of electricity, and pollute water bodies. As a result, there is an urgent need in these modern times to carve a path to a green future. To combat environmental issues such as global warming, climate change, resource depletion, and pollution, humanity must band together.

Fortunately, there are several environmentally conscious entrepreneurs and businesses working to make our planet a better, more habitable place. These organizations are leading the charge by developing all natural, eco-friendly products that protect the environment from harmful and poisonous chemicals. Such is the power of environmentally friendly inventions: they can significantly improve our quality of life while also ensuring the safety of our families and, by extension, our planet. Here are ten indigenous, eco-friendly, and clean-tech inventions that could save the world.

CleanTech for Health and Clean Air

Cellzyme Biotech of Coimbatore uses an engineered enzyme to produce antibiotics at room temperature without the use of solvents, which are a major contributor to air pollution. The innovative manufacturing process reduces environmental impact by replacing harsh industrial chemicals and conserving energy.

Plastic-waste-based Roads

Not only can plastic harm the planet, but it can also harm animals, plants, and the environment. Plastic’s toxic chemicals expose humans to congenital disabilities, cancer, and weakened immunity. Plastic is everywhere, and it pollutes the environment. To avoid this, the Government of India directed road builders to use plastic and heated bituminous mixes when constructing roads. Padma Shri Awardee and Chemistry Professor Rajagopalan Vasudevan of Thiagarajar College of Engineering in Madurai developed the technology without the use of any additional machinery.

During his research, the professor discovered that plastic could increase the aggregate impact value of roads, i.e., it can increase the longevity of roads, and reduce potholes, and other deformities caused primarily by vehicle weight. The use of plastic in road construction also improves the quality of pavements. It also prevents water percolation and reduces road wear and tear in the end.

The Harvester Ulta Chaata

Rainwater harvesting contributes significantly to water conservation by reducing the use of potable water and increasing humanity’s reliance on rainwater. With this goal in mind, the entrepreneur couple Priya and Samit Choksi created Ulta Chatta, an indigenous patented system.

Ulta Chatta is designed to converge rainwater and generate renewable energy smartly. It is essentially a canopy that collects rainwater and filters it through a five-step filtration unit integrated into the canopy. It also includes taps connected to a storage tank, allowing users to obtain purified drinking water. Ulta Chaata also functions as a solar energy generation system, providing lighting at night and assisting in the charging of devices. Furthermore, the invention is IoT (Internet of Things) – enabled and aids in the collection of useful data about the environment. This eco-friendly invention was created specifically for installation in India’s smart cities, as well as industries and large campuses. A single Ulta Chaata unit can harvest up to 100,000 litres of water while capturing up to 1.5 kilowatts of energy.

Low-cost Wind Turbines

Anoop and Arun George, siblings from Kerala, are credited with inventing low-cost wind turbines through their company Avant Garde Innovations. This eco-friendly invention can generate enough electricity to power an entire house for a lifetime. The wind turbine is similar in size to a ceiling fan, but unlike a ceiling fan, it has multiple blades. The turbines have the potential to produce 5kWH/kW per day. The cost of a wind turbine is significantly lower than that of an iPhone. This revolutionary product, which was first introduced in January 2016, earned the George siblings a spot in the Top 20 Clean-tech Innovations of India that same year.

Solar Energy Trees

Another eco-invention that is helping to save the planet and the world is the solar power tree. The CSIR – Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute – a public engineering research and development institution located in the West Bengal city of Durgapur – created the one-of-a-kind energy conservation system. The invention is said to produce the same amount of electricity as a conventional array, which is enough to light up five homes. However, installing the tree requires a much smaller plot of land. The solar power tree is made up of photovoltaic panels that are placed at different levels on steel branches that are designed to look like trees.

Because population density is a concern in India, the solar power tree’s dramatic reduction in space required for installation means that it could be installed even in densely populated areas.

Edible Cutlery

Plastic cutlery, whether spoons, forks, or knives, is contaminated with toxins that are harmful to the environment. To reduce the environmental impact of plastic cutlery, Telangana-based entrepreneur Narayana Peesapaty founded Bakey’s, an eco-friendly company that produces edible cutlery. The company produces three types of edible cutlery: plain, sweet, and savoury, using wheat, salt, and millets blended with rice as ingredients. Customers can also select their preferred flavours, which range from sugar to ginger-cinnamon, mint-ginger, and black pepper.

The edible spoons withstand both hot and cold liquids. They do not break, dissolve, or crumble. They are preservative-free and have a three-year shelf life. The technology behind this environmentally friendly invention involves drying, hardening, and baking the cutlery at high temperatures (much like it is done in the oven). This process significantly reduces the water content of the raw materials while also increasing the cutlery’s shelf life. Bakey’s is selling edible cutlery at the same price as plastic cutlery to discourage people from using plastics.

The Portable Biogas Plant

The portable biogas plant is an ISO-certified environmentally friendly invention that is helping to make the planet more habitable. This invention, created by Rajagopalan Nair, a former Indian Navy officer turned civil engineer, can be used for both domestic and commercial purposes. After retiring from the Navy, Rajagopalan Nair founded Hi-Tech Bio Solutions and built an eco-friendly biogas plant in Vasai, Mumbai. The goal of his invention is to create a system that can eliminate wet waste such as fruit and vegetable peels, discarded meat, fish, and poultry waste, and other types of wet garbage. The portable biogas plant can effectively manage the wet waste produced in millions of households, restaurants, and commercial kitchens. Furthermore, the invention converts the waste generated in these kitchens into various by-products such as cooking gas and liquid manure.

Finally, with the world groaning under the weight of gas-emitting and polluting factories, businesses must become more environmentally conscious and make efforts to go green. As corny as it may sound, it is our responsibility to ensure that the planet remains habitable for future generations. As a result, the aforementioned entrepreneurs, institutions, and businesses should be applauded for their efforts to make the world a better place to live. While it is important to recognize their efforts, the least we can do is support their initiatives by making the best use of their eco-friendly inventions.

Also published on Medium.