How Technology Can Save Nature

Humanity’s pursuit of technological progress has taken an untidy toll on our environment, impacting wildlife and ocean ecosystems. However, new technologies are helping mitigate damage.

Digital mediums have reduced paper consumption, helping reduce deforestation. This helps mitigate climate change as trees can absorb carbon dioxide emissions.

Less deforestation

Deforestation is a serious threat, contributing both to climate change and habitat loss for animals and plants. But there are ways of fighting back; one cutting-edge technology enables conservationists to monitor forests worldwide with greater accuracy and efficiency than ever before.

U.K. start-up iov42 and Double Helix Tracking Technologies have collaborated to create a blockchain system designed to combat deforestation in commodity supply chains like timber. This solution helps organizations comply with laws such as the 2021 Environment Act that mandate clear statutory targets for deforestation.

Amazon rainforest indigenous communities are using technology to stem tree loss. Their forest patrols have been trained on using smartphones and satellite data shared between forest patrols. Since implementing their deforestation reduction programme in 2016, deforestation rates have dropped by 50 percent and reduced illegal gold mining, logging, and coca cultivation for cocaine production threats significantly.

Less pollution

Materials used in creating technological devices can be extremely detrimental to the environment, as their production requires finite natural resources and precious metals from Earth that need extracting. They also produce waste that pollutes soil, air and waterways if disposed of improperly.

Pollutants resulting from factories, vehicles and human activities such as agriculture are sources of these harmful gases which impact not only human health but all living creatures on Earth as well. Such gases include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide; all which have detrimental impacts on both people’s bodies as well as those of living things in general.

Technology can play an invaluable role in protecting our environment by reducing production and disposal of waste materials. Technology allows users to monitor sources of pollution and find ways to decrease it – for instance e-commerce companies and social media platforms in China use it to track illegal sales of wildlife products, while tools like doForms enable businesses to replace paper forms with digital ones that won’t produce waste or pollution when multiplied, stored, or discarded.

Less waste

Technology may have caused many environmental problems, but it also holds the key to their resolution. New technologies are emerging that generate “green” energy, manage pollution and cut waste – companies are becoming more aware of their environmental footprint while young people increasingly demand sustainable products that respect Mother Earth.

doForms enabled a business to replace 80-page paper surveys with an electronic solution that required no printing and produced no waste, just like streaming media has eliminated DVDs that would otherwise be thrown away, thus contributing towards saving forests which absorb toxic gases while producing oxygen.

Technology has also made it easier than ever to share resources such as cars, bikes and even homes to reduce consumption of natural resources and reduce deforestation. Ridesharing services like Uber and Airbnb can reduce emissions up to 66% when used for vehicle sharing rides – providing another means by which to conserve Earth resources and lessen deforestation.

Better communication

Utilizing technology can aid nature conservation efforts. For instance, smart collars on animals can track them and warn of approaching predators or humans as well as provide sound monitoring to protect from harm or natural distress. When used together with SIM-based wearables on humans who live nearby wild animals to reduce conflict between human-animal interactions; additionally technology improves communication skills of wildlife conservationists and increases public response when disasters strike.

WWF is joining forces with leading e-commerce and social media firms to harness technology to combat wildlife traffickers. Drones help map forests to track poaching activity and deforestation; we leverage AI and advanced computer programs to save species such as tigers, elephants and rhinos; we collaborate with tech firms on graphene production – potentially revolutionizing energy production while decreasing our environmental footprint.