How does automation affect the environment

For instance, Wave Glider contains solar panels for collecting solar energy as it moves across the surface of the ocean. Sometimes environment protection means hunting those invasive species that harm endangered animals and plants. For instance, Crowns-of- Thorns Starfish is considered a major reef barrier in Australia. These coral-eating starfish can destroy homes of the delicate species.

As more people continue to recycle, the need for sorting materials and determining what can be used is growing. This is entirely manual work with people picking as many items as possible over the conveyor belts. But robotics has made. Robots use artificial intelligence to sort and record items that are on the conveyor belt. This solution improves efficiency and leads to higher throughput.

It also helps users, whether construction companies or cities, to budget accurately with fixed labor rates. Our sewer systems have a huge contribution to climate change, especially when you think where we dump our human waste. They can also affect public health. But robots have been used to collect and analyze raw sewerage data in the lab. This is considered more efficient than when it is done manually in the lab. The rising number of automated equipment has a significant impact on climate change.

While it may lead to loss of jobs done by manual workers, the overall effect on the environment is good. Heavy duty manual operated machinery emits more CO2 to the environment compared to the electronic ones. Automated machines can help to reduce carbon emissions by half and thus allowing air to clear up. Pollution comes in all kinds, from chemicals to plastic bags.

One company in Chicago has developed a trash robot that floats on water collecting garbage to keep the river clean. This robot helps to safeguards the animals from ingesting waste. Tesla Motors is a leading automaker who understands the effects of climate change and how environmental protection can make our world a better place. The economy gets stronger. But what happens to the environment as we continue to develop these new systems and technologies? Are all automatic processes good for the environment?

A quick online search will reveal many different applications for automation that are good for the environment, such as switching from heavy duty operated machinery to electronic systems which produce far less CO2. In buildings, an automated system might only turn the lights on when a person is detected in a room, or a thermostat could maintain a comfortable temperature that saves energy. Changing how we operate as a society can and does create environmental improvements compared to processes used in previous years, but without careful management automation could also have adverse effects.

Although in many cases we are switching our energy use, a sudden increase in demand for different energy sources and alternative resources can be detrimental. The electric vehicle revolution has slashed emissions, prompted large scale behaviour change and is shifting an entire industry as we move towards a halt in sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by This is all great for the environment, but questions remain over the current production and disposal of the batteries used to power electric vehicles.

However, the case can be made that with new technologies come new job opportunities that may not have existed previously. Additionally, the use of automation will increase productivity throughout company operations. A great example of this is the driverless tractor for the agriculture industry.

In an ideal world, the increased productivity that comes from automation will help companies economically and allow them to open up different opportunities for the jobs that are lost. The paper asserts that for the most part health and wellbeing are improved through the increase of automation, mainly based on eliminating the risks posed to human life, and reducing exposure for otherwise dangerous job opportunities like welding or underwater operations.

However, an increase in energy consumption results in use of resources that generate emissions. Dependent on the source and type, indirect emissions are correlated to health issues. Regarding Ethics and Accountability, there are many concerns. The paper outlined the most obvious — the lack of human interaction in customer care, general mistrust in robots thanks Will Smith!

When faced with a tough decision, will you agree with the events that occur? Would you have made the same choice? There are many factors to be considered in the development of new technologies that lead to automation of processes. Further analysis and the use of Life Cycle Assessments of automated products may provide more detail on environmental impacts. Personally, it seems that sustainable solutions could be made for the economical and environmental aspects of automation but the social need more delving into — and not just the technology itself — but the way we as a society will impact the unstoppable rise of automation.

An environmental engineer with a passion in emission reduction and sustainability, particularly in what businesses can do to reduce their impact and provide environmental outreach for their stakeholders.