According to NASA, the current trend in global warming is over 95 percent the result of human activity since the mid-20th century. Also, carbon dioxide from human activity is increasing at a rate that is 250 times faster than the rate from the last Ice Age. Many individuals have been doing their part to help stop climate change by recycling, switching to reusable items, and using energy-efficient appliances. But what else could be done to help protect the environment?
The IoT can help preserve biodiversity, make agricultural practices sustainable, and monitor water and air quality.
What Is the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of objects with sensors, software, and other technologies that allow them to connect and exchange information with other devices over the internet. This kind of technology allows data to be collected in real-time without much human interaction. Thus, accurate information can be collected quickly.
Preservation of Biodiversity
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature states that species are going extinct 1000 and 10000 times higher than the natural rate of extinction. A lack of biodiversity puts the livelihood of all species at risk, including humans. One example is that our food supplies could become vulnerable due to a loss of biodiversity; this loss will put crops at a greater risk for pests and diseases. This means that less produce will be yielded and our food supplies will become scarce. If our food supply becomes limited, then people will die of starvation.
The loss of biodiversity that our world is currently experiencing can be attributed to poaching and deforestation. The way that the IoT comes into play to stop these two culprits is by placing sensors throughout natural habitats, and when it detects something (such as snare traps being set up) it can be reported to the authorities in real-time. Two projects that use the Internet of Things to stop poachers are called “Instant Detect” and “TrailGuard”. Instant Detect is a project funded by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Instant Detect is a monitoring system that uses cameras, sensors, low-power radio networks, and satellites to capture and transmit human and wildlife activity in real-time. When poachers are detected, the authorities are notified right away.
TrailGuard is another anti-poaching system that uses cameras. It was developed by RESOLVE in partnership with Intel and Inmarsat. TrailGuard transmits images over cellular, Long Range (LoRa), and satellite connections. TrailGuard can stop poachers before they set up snares or shoot animals. The first TrailGaurd that was deployed resulted in the arrest of 30 poachers. Anti-poaching monitoring systems can help decrease poaching, which will result in populations of animals to increase. Thus, bringing back biodiversity.
To stop deforestation, systems like Rainforest Connection can be set up throughout forests to notify the authorities of illegal deforestation. Rainforest Connection is an early warning system that listens for chainsaws and vehicles; when those sounds are detected, the authorities are notified in real-time. Currently, Rainforest Connection has projects in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Romania, Costa Rica, and South Africa. Early warning systems such as Rainforest Connection help decrease illegal deforestation, which in turn results in the biodiversity of plants being increased.
Sustainable Agriculture
According to the World Bank, 70 percent of the world’s freshwater is used for agricultural purposes. It is estimated that by 2050, water usage will increase by 15 percent to support the increase of agricultural production. To decrease water usage, an automated watering system can be used by farmers for their crops. Sensors are placed into the soil of crops to read the moisture of the soil. Once the sensors have detected that the soil has enough water, the system will stop watering the crops.
Maurice Silverstein, a farmer in Austrailia switched to an automated drip system to water his orchards. Silverstein can get soil moisture readings in real-time and he gets notifications whenever there is a leak in the system. Being notified of leaks is helpful because less water gets wasted. Silverstein says that the automated watering system allows him “to be more efficient with his time and water”. If more farmers switch to an automated drip system, like Silverstein, less water will be used for agricultural purposes. This will also result in an overall decrease in water usage.
Water and Air Pollution
People are dying and falling ill because of pollution. According to the United Nations (UN), water pollution is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Access to clean freshwater is becoming limited because polluted water is being disposed into rivers, lakes, aquifers, and coastal waters. A solution to this is to set up water quality monitoring systems in rivers, lakes, aquifers, and coastal waters and have it analyze the water quality in real-time. If the water quality is poor, have the monitoring system notify waste management to clean up the body of water.
In a study conducted by Sathish Pasika and Sai Teja Gandla, they found that a cost-effective water quality monitoring system could be made. By setting sensors to a microcontroller, they were able to monitor the water quality in real-time through the ThingSpeak app. If governments set up monitoring systems to check on the water quality, more people will have access to clean water.
Air pollution is also a growing concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 91 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where the air quality exceeds WHO limits; the people who are greatly affected by poor air quality live in the Western Pacific region and South East Asia. It is estimated that 4.2 million deaths are caused by air pollution; air pollution can cause strokes, heart attacks, asthma, and lung cancer. By creating an air quality monitoring system, governments can make more informed decisions about policies to control air quality. Thus, leading to better air quality and a decrease in air pollution. Many people will benefit from this by breathing air that is not polluted; less people will die or become ill because of poor air quality.
Conclusion
Biodiversity is being lost, current agricultural practices are not sustainable, access to clean water is being limited, and air pollution is killing millions of people. At the individual level, many people are doing their part to help save the environment, but much more needs to be done. The IoT development can be used to reduce the number of species going extinct by catching poachers and those who do illegal deforestation; help farmers use less water, and monitor water and air quality. The IoT is a tool that can be used to help save the planet. To help save our home.
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