According to some experts, we’re on the verge of a ‘green revolution’ — a time when environmentally friendly products and practices will not only make good environmental sense, they will also make good business sense.
According to an ongoing series in the New York Times, new software, sensors, materials and information delivery systems are providing the opportunity to build more environmentally friendly (and safer) roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure projects.
In one example, the integration of these new technologies could allow governments and power companies to reduce peak loads on power grids by 15 percent, which would reduce the need for 30 large coal-fired power plants over a 20-year period. Similar advances are projected in food distribution systems, shipping, water management and more.
In another interesting example, a small metal foundry in Chester, N.Y. has found that it makes good business sense to ‘go green.’ The company casts architectural hardware using an ‘Eco Brass,’ which uses no lead, and they have developed other practices that allow their entire facility to produce less than half the emissions of a Toyota Camry. And yet, the company’s Eco Brass costs just 20 cents more per pound than standard leaded brass and 40 cents less per pound than brass made using bismuth, a lead alternative.
To be sure, this ‘revolution’ is still in its infancy, however, and there will be many dead-ends as we search for the path to a cleaner planet and a prosperous economy. What is certain, though, is that many of these new efforts will require skilled welders.
What are your thoughts? Do you think there will be a ‘green revolution’ in which our nation’s infrastructure will be overhauled to be more efficient and environmentally friendly? Will there be many new opportunities created for skilled welders? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.
