Solutions,processes, products and/or services that enable energy and resource efficiency.
Solutions focused on the production and provision of nonessential consumer goods and services with a lower carbon footprint.
Solutions focused on sustainable infrastructure for the built environment.
Solutions focused on the generation of energy from renewable and alternative non or low emitting energy sources.
Solutions focused on circularity and efficient waste management.
Solutions focused on the development, care, restoration, protection, and sustainable usage of natural resources.
Clean technology encompasses a variety of processes, products, and services that create:
- More responsible use of resources.
- Reduced overall environmental impact.
- Efficient energy consumption.
Climate solutions classified as clean technology cover a broad range. In most cases, these solutions provide consumers and businesses with a viable lower greenhouse gas (GHG) alternative to existing more polluting legacy processes and practices.
The Discretionary Consumer theme empowers the consumer to make a difference. A single consumer may not have a notable impact, but when many consumers vote with their dollars for sustainable and climate friendly products and services, they could have real impact.
Since 1959, US personal disposable income has grown over 7-fold, with similar trends observed across markets and geographies. Considering the close relationship between income levels and GHG emissions, the production and provision of non-essential goods and services with low or no-GHG emissions have become increasingly important.
The best way to view green infrastructure is to think of the blood circulatory system in the human body. It is the foundation that houses and links the key building blocks of a sustainable economy. Green infrastructure cuts across multiple industries including clean water and waste water management, public transport, energy storage, hydrogen pipelines, electric grids, alternative cement, and bicycle pathways.
Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished at a rate equal to or faster than the rate at which they are consumed. The US Energy Information Administration lists five key sources of renewable energy: Biomass, Hydropower, Geothermal, Wind, and Solar. These renewable sources represented 20% of US electricity generation in 2021 according to the Department of Energy. The power sector, which is responsible for 27% of greenhouse gas emissions, continues to rely heavily on fossil fuel energy. As such, the transition to renewable energy is critical for the health of the planet.
For most people a reference to the circular economy conjure images of recycling bins and collected plastic bottles, but there is far more to the circular economy than recycling. Under our current economic model, we extract materials from our planet, transform them into products, use them, and eventually throw them away as waste. This linear economic model extracts over 100 billion tons of material a year, with only 8.6% of that material reused. In a circular economy, manufacturers design products to be reusable, repairable, and recyclable. As such, waste becomes the new raw material.
A vibrant natural environment is critical to the health of all living beings, from single cell organisms to entire ecosystems, such as forests and coral reefs. The myriad and complex interactions between these living elements is what has sustained life on this planet for billions of years. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the stability of the Earth’s climate are ultimately dependent on the preservation of this natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides.
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