On Friday of last week, WLWT reported on an project through the University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub, called Clean Earth Rovers. Clean Earth Rovers is a tech start-up that's developing a line of autonomous marine vehicles, designed to clean up coastal waterways and rivers. Dubbed the "Plastics Piranha," the vehicles clean up plastic and other debris from marinas, harbors and other high-traffic areas. In addition, the vehicles' array of sensors can detect pollutants and offer insights in water quality. Robert Charvat, who works with Clean Earth Rovers, describes the goals of the project this way: " 'It will tell you oxygen levels, it will tell you pollution content, water temperature. All those critical things in which if you manage a marina, you want to keep people happy but also you want to make sure the water is safe to be in.' "
We've reported on Cincinnati's green initiatives in the past, but let's revisit the subject to see what else Cincinnati has in the works for staying environmentally friendly with technology.
Clean Cincy
Many companies have gotten on board with green practices. But it's not always clear where to start, unfortunately. One Queen City company, 212 Environmental, is helping businesses do just that. An independent engineering firm, 212 helps businesses stay environmentally safe and legally compliant when taking on new building projects. They also help projects control costs, maintain efficiency and conform to proper safety standards.
212 has worked on everything from environmental conversation in California to construction projects in southwest Ohio to petroleum vapor reduction efforts in the Rocky Mountains (you can view a summary of their projects here).
Another company leading the way in environmentally-friendly technology is Greensource Cincinnati. Greensource offers a variety of services, including heating and cooling maintenance as well as data center maintenance and installation. Their philosophy is one of sustainability and energy efficiency. They've worked with everyone from the University of Cincinnati to Belterra Park to Kentucky State Police in providing green, energy saving equipment.
Getting Involved
Okay, this is all well and good for big companies with a lot of resources, but what if you want to get involved on your own? We recommend that you check out Green Umbrella, a multi-organization collaborative dedicated to environmental sustainability in the tri-state area. The collaborative currently sports over 200 member organizations, as well as a network of volunteers dedicated to conserving the local environment. They also offer educational and awareness events, recreation activities and fundraisers.
If you're eager to contribute, you're in luck. Green Umbrella will host a summit for members soon at their Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, which is slated to occur on June 16th at the Cintas Center. In-person tickets are sold out, but virtual tickets are still available. The event will feature a plethora of governmental, non-profit and business representatives, all coming together to discuss the future of environmental sustainability in the area.
There's lots to be optimistic about in the Queen City. If you're looking for a way to make your business or organization greener and more efficient, Titan Tech can assess your current infrastructure and offer cleaner, more energy efficient alternatives. Contact them today for more information.
And stay tuned for more tech news.