How Technology can help the Environment

Italy and France signed an agreement for the construction in Italy of four nuclear plants by 2020. This decision replaces that one expressed by referendum in 1986.

As you probably know, in Italy there are many problems related to collecting and recycling garbage. I’m just wondering how we are going to deal with nuclear waste… (More info at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7908434.stm)

On the other side, President Obama announced his investments program about energy: “…But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy.  So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America.  And to support that innovation, we will invest fifteen billion dollars a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America…” (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-of-President-Barack-Obama-Address-to-Joint-Session-of-Congress/)

I strongly believe that the future of our planet is in renewable energy, and nuclear power represents a short term solution.

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Talking about green best practices, I’ve just found out a new Italian eco-tech social network: www.youimpact.it

According to Web 2.0 guidelines, the main goal is to spread environmental culture in a no-conventional way.

The community is invited to express its creativity, by publishing images, videos, audio files. Obviously, the subject is environment.

Moreover, for every uploaded image, video or audio, it will be created one square metre of new forest.

Together with some useful information about ‘green’ lifestyle, there are some interesting contests, which aim is to share green IT experiences and their ‘green effects’. There are many important IT companies involved in these projects:  Cisco,  IBM, etc.

Do you know any other green social network?  I’d really like to create a world map of these experiences …

~ by Nicoletta on February 26, 2009.