What Factors Influence Green Technology?: Green Technology Articles: Eco20/20

What Factors Influence Green Technology?

Green technology and environmental research have been rapidly growing in recent times. It may seem that hardly a day can go by without hearing about the next potentially big leap in such things as "sustainable development" and more efficient, "environmentally conscious" technology. It may be easier than you think to take this research for granted. There's a good chance green technology research has had a hand in improving your light bulbs, your computer, your television, or even your car (yes, even a non-hybrid model!). Without green technology research, many of our common devices we use every day would be much less efficient, not to mention creating much more unnecessary waste than they do now. However, as you can imagine, there is an intense amount of scientific research currently being devoted to developing these innovative technologies.

What influences this research? What pushes it in one direction or another? What are the concepts at its core? Questions such as these not only help us understand what currently influences green technologies as a whole, but where they will be driven in the future.

As with any innovation, money is an obvious driving force. Without a constant flow of currency, research stops cold. This money comes from many different directions, from various private sources to funding from individual benefactors, and even the U.S federal government. But what prompts the flow of money? People won't fund a cause they don't believe in, especially one as financially stressing as green technology. Because of this, various campaigns have saturated popular culture with "green thinking." You have no doubt encountered at least a few commercials, Internet or newspaper ads, or billboards encouraging you to "think green." Recently common catch phrases for promoting a conservational attitude such as: "Reduce. Reuse. Recycle", "Flex your power", or "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute", have saturated popular culture in order to build a supportive attitude for green technology.

Now that a green-thinking mentality has permeated our culture, many people are buying environmentally friendly versions of products in place of traditional ones. The overall attitude and support for expansion of green technology, such as alternative fuel research, has increased dramatically. However, support, and therefore funding, can be positively or negatively affected by reports of green technology's successes or failures respectively. If people hear bad news about a high-profile green development, support can fall dramatically, and thus, so will funding.

Another major way to increase funding and support for green research is tax incentives. The U.S government, for example, gives tax benefits to owners of hybrid or electric vehicles. Owners of these vehicles may also drive in the carpool lane, regardless of whether or not they are the only person in the vehicle. People who choose to generate their own power at home also get benefits, such as the government's partial covering of home wind generators' installation costs, and the federally-protected ability to sell surplus power to the owner's utility company.