The miraculous ways startups are saving the planet through intelligent technology

Saving the planet might sound like the task for a might superhero, but it is, in fact, a task for all of us, in more ways than you might expect. For example, choosing to cycle to work rather than driving can accumulate to a huge difference over time, along with other lifestyle changes such as going Vegan. According to Vegan Calculator, being vegan for just one year can help save 7,300 of CO2.

However, as with any battle, there are wins and losses and it appears that being vegan can sometimes have a negative impact on the environment. But there is no need to be disheartened. We are not alone in this battle and there are many bright minds working to make this world a better and cleaner place for everyone.

As previously discussed in The Sociable, startups such as Memphis meats are turning the food industry upside down through the use of lab-grown meat. Yes, a burger that was grown in a lab. By skipping the processes of raising an animal just for meat, a colossal amount of resources can be saved, ultimately leading to a more effective and local food industry, with no animals suffering.

But the food industry is only one of the many challenges we face when trying to save the planet. For example, 5% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are caused by the Cement Industry. Admittedly this is harder for us to solve in our daily lives and can’t be remedied as easily as we change our diet or our route to work. However, there is good news, as innovation is here to save the day with modern smart technology.

State-of-the-art construction solution company Giatec, which is working to revolutionize the concrete industry with mobile technology, has teamed up with US firm, Thomas Concrete, with the mission to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The Canadian company has just signed a partnership with one of the biggest ready mix producers in North America. They hope that with the use of their smart IoT technologies, which provide smart monitoring and intelligent analysis of collected data during design, the company can in turn become greener – urging other firms across the continent to follow suit.

Co-founder and CEO of Giatec, Dr Aali R. Alizadeh, PhD, P.Eng, said: “For too long, the concrete industry has been a silent but deadly villain in contributing to global warming. But it is also a vital material we need for building our roads and buildings.”

“We at Giatec believe that fast-evolving wireless sensor technology can provide solutions. And not merely for saving money during long construction projects. With the use of Smart Concrete, concrete producers can reduce the cement required for a concrete mix, in turn minimizing their carbon footprint. The partnership with this huge firm, Thomas Concrete, symbolizes a step in the right direction and we’re hoping we can lead the way in making the world a greener place.”

Smart Concrete is a solution offered by Giatec through concrete producers which enables contractors to monitor the strength of early-age stage concrete in real-time using mobile technology. The partnership between Giatec and Thomas Concrete also hopes to save money and time on projects with the use mobile technology to provide critical information to contractors for making efficient decisions on the jobsite.

As technology continues to evolve, our issues battling the devastation of our planet should become smaller while our solutions become smarter, and in time we might be enjoying lab-grown burgers in our eco homes, safe in the knowledge that we are part of the solution and no longer part of the problem.