Biofabrication: How a Single Cell Could Feed the World

Call it tissue 3D printing, in vitro cell production, or biofabrication; further development of this revolutionary technological breakthrough will profoundly transform how we get our most basic commodities: food and clothing. Not only will the usage of energy, water and land be dramatically reduced, but also the emission of greenhouse gases from livestock (currently accounting for 14.5% of global emissions) will also diminish significantly.

Biofabrication is the artificial mass production of specific animal tissues in order to fulfill human needs without the necessity of breeding and fully growing an animal for slaughter. However, apart from the cruelty of butchering billions of animals worldwide to fulfill our daily needs, reproducing, growing and maintaining livestock will not be sustainable in the near future. Tatiana Mendez’s video highlights the unsustainability of the current model due to scarcity of resources including energy, water and land:

Thus, biofabrication is the viable solution. A single cell could feed the entire world; another one could dress us all. Pretty much every product that comes from animal tissues could be mass-produced in a brewing facility, and can even be enhanced. This TED Talk shows how a team of scientists devoted to this idea were successful in growing different types of leather:

As a dairy farm owner myself, this subject is of the utmost importance. Milk production is quite messy and resource intensive. Previously, I could only dream of a greener, more efficient world where we could be able to use 3D printing to create milk, diary products, or any type of food (not to mention guacamole). I believe it is only a matter of time until we fully grasp the gravity of the situation and subsequently allocate the proper funding to the development of this technology in order to fully achieve high quality and global scalability.

Everyday Energy Savings: Powered by IT

Many of our everyday activities use energy: the google searches we make, the cars we drive, the flights we take, almost anything that is even remotely connected to the microchip. The good news, however, is that IT advancements can help reduce the carbon footprint of our normal activities. Here’s how:

New IT Infrastructure:

In 2002 when I was doing my Masters in IT, our university had "thin clients" in all labs, which meant that just a few SUN servers could support the work of  around 1000 students. Concentrating all applications on a single server and a single computing resource generates sheer cost savings (not just in terms of hardware and thus e-­waste but also in terms of energy).

As a professional, working on thin clients was not feasible; instead we used "virtual machines." Virtualization uses almost the same idea—maximising the value of a machine. Every time you use your PC or mac, it is more than likely than not that your machine is not using its full capacity, but still consuming significant energy. Virtualization allows a server to run multiple operating systems at the same time. Each of these operating systems can then be provided to developers in a configuration that best suits their needs.

More recently, cloud computing has eliminated the need for companies to own their own servers. Different companies can now take advantage of cost savings by using common infrastructure offered by the cloud provider.

Stop-start technology:

Stop­-start automatically turns off the engine when an electric or hybrid car stops or when clutch is released. This reduces fuel consumption by 5­8%. Although the development of this technology required significant enhancements to the engine and transmission, the important role of engine micro controller can not be discounted. The micro controller detects the velocity of car and the position of the clutch, shutting off the spark and fuel to engine for it to stop, and reversing the process to start the car.

Flying like birds:

The V formation that we normally see in migrating birds is not just because they like to follow each other, the formation actually helps birds conserve energy. We should not be surprised if in future we see airplanes following the same formation on transatlantic or transpacific routes. Initial tests of this approach are now being carried out with Australian flights on transpacific routes. Computers onboard and on land play a critical role in this development by guiding the precise path (direction, altitude and velocity) that each flight in the flock should take.

Faster searching

Without going into the details of Google’s servers, the more the "machine instructions" a program uses, the more processing time is required. The number of machine instructions executed depends on the efficiency of the search algorithm. Every time Google engineers improve this algorithm, our search results show up faster. Ultimately, improved response time means that the same Google server can now handle more search requests, thus reducing the need for new servers.

On our end, a faster response directly relates to time and energy savings. An improvement  as small as 0.01 second per search translates to 125 million seconds of savings per month globally (based on 12.5 billion google searches per month). That is, if all these people were using your computer sequentially, the 0.01 second of improvement would allow you to switch off your computer 3.96 years (125 million seconds) sooner!

Not a CIO? You too can help save Guacamole.

Ok, so maybe you are not a CIO yet, or perhaps you have other great plans. Don’t worry though

—you too can do your part to help save guacamole. Here are three hi-tech gadgets to help you reduce your carbon footprint:  

1.  Nest Learning Thermostat 

 
Use it like a thermostat and it will program itself! Nest Learning Thermostat will remember the temperature that you like and will make sure that the temperature is set accordingly while you are there. When you are gone, it will automatically turn itself down, saving energy and your wallet. And yes, it has a cool smartphone app!

2. Belkin WiMO

You’ve always wanted a home automation system that allows you to control your electronics from anywhere for one reason or another (to save money, look cool, or reduce your carbon footprint).  Belkin WiMO Home Automation system has really simplified home automation. It uses motion sensors to turn electronics on and off, allows you to put your devices on a schedule, and operates via Wi-Fi and the internet. Oh, did we mention it has app for iOS and Android?  

3. Sol Sport Solar Charging Kit For Mobile Devices

If you are not ready to commit to installing large solar panels on your roof yet, or, if you do have large solar panels installed on your roof but you happen to be out hiking, how do you give your devices the extra juice they need? After all, we might get that life-changing email any moment now, right? The Sol Sport Solar Charging Kit is a portable solar charging station that works with any device that can be charged via USB!

4. BONUS (Non Hi-Tech)

Worm Factory 360 Composter

 

WORM POOP! This composter can house thousands of your little minions (worms) who are working 24/7 to turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient rich fertilizer to grow your organic garden. And yes, when managed correctly, you can run an odorless operation. Note: You will still need to buy the worms.

CIO as Sustainability Champion

Mass panic following Chipotle’s recent announcement that rising avocado prices resulting from extreme drought may remove guacamole from menus in the future is a clear, albeit sensationalized, indicator of the increasing importance to business of managing the risks associated with climate change. 

Image via jamailac

Companies today must develop strategies to address the changing climate and the decreasing availability of natural resources to achieve long-term growth. Investors are also influencing companies to become more transparent about their environmental and social impact, according to a recent EY survey. Because of these factors, Triple Pundit reports that the majority of S&P 500 companies now issue sustainability reports.

While the majority of companies’ environmental impacts originate from their operations and require the COO’s involvement, making the Chief Information Officer (CIO) a key partner in developing a company’s sustainability strategy can improve results through implementation of new, high-tech solutions. Green IT solutions can improve a company’s bottom line and decrease its environmental impact in the following ways:

• Monitoring energy use: Homes and businesses today have more options than ever before for monitoring energy use and implementing automated energy-saving programs. Today’s green buildings are full of technologies that reduce consumption of water and electricity, thus reducing bills.
• Reducing travel through e-communication: By implementing strong videoconferencing and virtual communications tools, companies can cut down on travel, which is largely responsible for carbon emissions as well as timely and costly.
• Maximizing technology’s lifespan: Replacing hardware is costly and generates significant, dangerous e-waste. Considering these costs when purchasing new equipment can help companies choose products that are more durable and last longer.
• Recycling old technology: When computers and electronics are no longer useful in a business, they can provide tremendous value in underfunded schools and organizations worldwide. Nonprofits such as InterConnection.org recycle, refurbish, and distribute unwanted electronics.
• Safely disposing of e-waste: The fastest-growing stream of waste is from disposed electronic devices, which often have dangerous metals and toxins, as well as valuable materials. Ensuring that a company’s discarded electronics are properly recycled can reduce the environmental impact of hazardous waste products.

Throughout the next several months, this blog will explore in-depth several of the issues mentioned above, and more. The environmental problems of today and tomorrow cannot be addressed without using the full potential of Green IT.