A new report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that global warming will essentially be irreversible by 2030 unless more eco-friendly measures are taken swiftly and immediately. With an abundance of greenhouse gasses, even a tenth of a degree of increase in global temperature could be detrimental to the future of our Earth. In order to safely avoid lethal warming levels, the Earth’s temperature cannot exceed 1.5℃ warmer than pre-industrial levels. At our current rate, the Earth is on track to heat up an additional 3.5℃ by 2100.
News like this can leave us feeling hopeless or doomed, but it’s important to recognize that it’s not too late to reverse the negative effects of climate change. Scientists note that it’s possible to put our Earth back on track. We must commit to the cause, educate ourselves on what steps we can take and act more responsibly to ensure a future for our planet.
The biggest way to reverse climate change is to alter our habits. Little things can be done every day to make an impact, and by encouraging others to take a look at their carbon footprint, the effect only grows. Here are just a few ways fossil fuel emissions can be reduced:
- Take public transit/carpool
- Reduce plastic usage
- Buy used items (to avoid environmental strain from production)
- Reduce water usage
- Switch to non-aerosol products
- Use renewable energy (solar, wind, hydrogen, etc.)
Change can be difficult, but it is necessary. One of the greatest ways businesses and consumers can reduce their carbon footprint is by utilizing green energy sources. Anything from driving an electric car to powering your business with solar panels can aid in reducing the adverse effects of global warming. Not only do these forms of energy help the environment, but they tend to be more cost-effective because the resources used (sun, water, and wind) are free and abundant.
One of the greatest advancements in renewable energy is hydrogen fuel cell technology. Powered by water and oxygen, hydrogen fuel cells release zero emissions other than water and heat. Not only that, but they allow for extended endurance, and can power anything from a car to a UAS, like the FlightWave Jupiter.
The hydrogen-powered Jupiter UAS more than triples flight time compared to most other drones, packing a lot more energy into each flight thanks to its high energy-to-weight ratio. In addition to its power advantage, the Jupiter’s hydrogen fuel cell enables clean, quiet and emission-free operation. Because the fuel cell has no moving parts, the craft is virtually silent and pollution-free and emits only a tiny amount of water vapor.
The future of UASs as heavy-duty, reliable tools for demanding use cases depends on developing viable, sustainable power sources like hydrogen and solar. Exploring and implementing forward-thinking energy sources will keep us growing into the future.
In addition to using renewable resources, UASs can be used to map geographic changes, which can help further our understanding of global warming. This data can be applied in a number of ways, from determining air quality to locating areas of deforestation. UASs can even be used to explore otherwise dangerous terrain, like the Arctic, which can give us new insights on widely uncharted territory from a bird’s eye view.
If we want to reverse the devastating effects of climate change, we can’t wait. We need to act now.