(Teacher)
The largest problems of humanity are not the technology centered issues. However, they are large problems that can be fixed with future inventions of better technology. For example, in order for humans to live healthy, we rely on clean air, clean water, and clean soil. We need a planet that can sustain us. In order for that to happen, the planet Earth needs to have the help from humans to maintain its ability to provide clean air, water, and soil.
Humans use tons of dirty energy that pollutes the air, water, and soil. The logical solution is to just stop using all the dirty methods that continue to pollute the very elements that humans need to survive. However, the question that stands us to what means are humans capable of changing their habits to maintain a sustainable life for all living things, and how can technology help.
The Green movement has been mostly effective in the education of how people can be more effective with their effort to recycle, reduce, and reuse. However, it is not enough to change how the world produces its energy. With that one problem solved, it would create a domino effect and the air, water, and soil would be effected too. Clean energy technology has been a work in progress across the globe and many brilliant minds have worked on ways to solve the problem.
The best idea that came through was by Nikola Tesla and the idea of free energy. His magnetic field was brilliant. The only reason it did not stick is that it could not be harnessed and used for profit. His energy idea was the cleanest way to power the world, however, and it would work if the power of financial gain and greed did not get in the way. However, other clean energy source technology that was invented after Tesla are solar power panels, wind turbine energy, and geothermal power sources. However, each of those sources has a big environmental problem. The main problem is centered around a better way for residents and disposal companies to deal with and dispose of any broken parts in an eco-friendly way. Currently not all parts can be recycled. This is a large problem for the many landfills, and an even larger problem for the planet.
Early generations of solar panels are probably the most harmful to the environment and perhaps they were also one of the largest technological problems that is currently facing green energy because the silicon parts are toxic to the soil, water, and air. However, the idea of recycling all of the parts of the panels is not only a great idea, it might even be possible in the near future. The idea of recycling the parts would be easier to conceptualize if the solar panels were made from completely recyclable parts. The first generations of solar panels were not able to be completely or just partially recycled, and most of them have been deposited in the landfills, which may have contributed to the toxic levels of the soil and the water near landfills. Some of the solar panels have not made it to the landfill and may be poisoning the soil and the water wherever they lay. This is a huge problem for the environment and for humanity as a whole, because humanity and all living things depend on the environment be healthy to survive. However, if the technology improves and manufacturers are able to make the new solar panels from completely recycled and recyclable materials, the solar panels would be more earth friendly and easier to reuse at the end of their life. ("How Do You Recycle A Solar Panel?")
Right now, all new solar panels are made of different metals and glass, which can be crushed up, separated from the other parts and the glass and metal frames are recycled. However, they have to use more energy that may or may not be from renewable resources, to be separated in order to be recycled. Although this process seems simple, it is not, In fact the process is more complicated than most people realize. For example, the facilities that recycle the panels are not located in convenient places for most consumers. This creates a problem because consumers like convenience. In addition to the convenience complication there is not an incentive to recycle them. People like incentives, such as tax breaks or rebates for doing environmentally ethical things, like recycling. ("How Do You Recycle A Solar Panel?")
In conclusion, efficient and effective solar panel recycling needs to become a priority for the world population of humanity to continue the use of this green energy. For example, one idea is that each panel that is prepared for installation needs to have a recycle plan in place before it is sold to the customer. The plan would include responsible choices for the panel to be recycled. This is in an effort to avoid the panel going to the landfill. Each panel that is recycled needs to be made from materials that can be easily separated for recycle, This means that instead of the current waste of silicon, tin, and silver, the manufacturers will have to come up with alternative source materials. These materials must have the ability to perform just as well if not better than the current technology. Right now, the only parts that can be recycled are the class and the aluminum frame. The only way that the planet saving use of green energy is going to be completely green is if all of the parts that create the green technology are completely recyclable and reusable and that no part of the panel goes to waste. ("How Do You Recycle A Solar Panel?")
Works Cited
"How Do You Recycle A Solar Panel?". The Huffington Post. N.p., 2014. Web. 3 May 2016.
