3 Successful Environmental Startups and What They Teach Us 

As a tech startup, you should constantly learn from others. Learn what 3 successful environmental startups teach us about harnessing technology.

With news of climate change all over the media and energy costs on the rise, almost all of us are looking for a way to be a little more energy efficient. But trying to find ways to make your lifestyle greener can be a challenge.

Below are three environmental startups that will help you be kinder to our planet.

Seabin Project

Ocean pollution is a huge problem, and it’s growing at an appalling rate. Every day, the Los Angeles area alone produces more than 10 metric tons of plastic fragments that float into the Pacific Ocean. More than 40 percent of the world’s ocean surface is now taken up by floating garbage piles, the biggest of which is twice the size of Texas.

About a million sea birds and more than 100,000 sea animals are killed by ocean pollution every year. They mistake it for food and eat it, or else become trapped in it and die trying to escape. Trying to gather up the garbage by hand is inefficient, and using ships to gather it is expensive.

The Seabin Project is looking to address this issue. The startup, which launched in Australia, has developed a floating interception device to place in harbors and marinas. Each bin could prevent more than a thousand pounds of trash entering the ocean each year.

The Seabin works like your average pool filter. It sucks water in at a rate of twenty-five liters per hour and pumps it back out through a filter basket. The trash (including microplastics as small as 2 mm) stays inside, and the water heads back out.

More than 100 Seabins are set to hit the coasts of Australia this November. The average marina needs between five and seven Seabins to keep it clean. And the best part is the company plans to recycle the plastic they collect to make more Seabins!

There are a number of ways you can support the Seabin Project. The biggest thing you can do, of course, is to convince your local harbor to invest in a few Seabins. But if you live inland, the project also has an online shop where you can get Seabin Project merchandise.

Chai Energy

We all experience electric bill surges in the summer and winter. With more extreme temperatures come greater heating and cooling costs. That’s the way it has to be, right?

Wrong. In fact, energy inefficiency contributes to nearly a quarter of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere every year. If we are to reverse global warming, we must reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced by electricity by 75 percent in the next thirty years.

Chai Energy aims to help you do your part in stopping global warming. The company collects smart data about your energy use and gives you advice on how to reduce that amount. The free app will tell you things like, “Your halogen lamp is producing more heat than anything,” and other such energy-saving tips.

The company collects your energy data from your local utilities department. The process is entirely secure, as it goes through Green Button, a standard energy data provider. This process can save you up to 20 percent on your utilities each year.

Your area must be eligible to participate in the program in order for you to join for free. You can check your eligibility on their website. If your area is not included, you can purchase a Chai Pro that gives you real-time energy monitoring and appliance-specific analysis.

Sistine Solar

Of course, another excellent way to reduce electricity usage is to – well – reduce your dependence on electricity. Solar panels are becoming more and more accessible to homeowners, and not a moment too soon. Our energy demands are going up by the day, but solar panels are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint without having to give up your blow dryer and washing machine.

Solar panels have some trade-offs (their manufacturing process does have some environmental drawbacks), but in the long run, they are the healthiest investment. A solar panel will recoup the amount of energy used to produce it in under four years. Over a span of thirty years, they will be an estimated three to ten times more eco-friendly than electricity generated from coal.

But many people aren’t crazy about the idea of putting solar panels on the roof of their home. The panels can look tacky and clunky. If your home has, for example, a Spanish tile roof, you may not want to cover it up with a big, black panel.

This is where Sistine Solar comes in. The startup has developed solar panels with camouflage. They mimic the pattern of the roof below them, rendering them almost invisible and preserving your home’s aesthetic.

The Sistine Solar panels come coated in a SolarSkin developed by MIT engineers. This smart film displays an image and transmits sunlight to the panel below it at the same time. There is no notable drop in efficiency, and even the strictest housing association can’t complain about it.

Right now, if you install Sistine Solar’s SolarSkin panels, you’ll get a free smart home device. You can still use your local solar installer. Ask them to contact Sistine Solar during installation, and get a beautiful, energy-efficient roof.

Support Other Environmental Startups

Supporting environmental startups is one of the best ways to go a little greener. Not only will you be helping the planet, but you’ll also be supporting independent businesses working to make the world better. Not to mention, in most cases, you’ll wind up saving yourself money in the long run!

If you’re looking to launch a startup yourself, or if you know someone who is, visit the rest of our website at Aaron Vick. Aaron is a startup mentor who provides consultation services, startup help, and more. Check out his ultimate startup checklist today to get your company off on the right foot.