Alternative technology is a term used to refer to technologies that are more

environmentally friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that c ...

than the functionally equivalent technologies dominant in current practice. The term was coined by Peter Harper, one of the founders of the

Centre for Alternative Technology The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) () is an ecology, eco-centre in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales dedicated to demonstrating and teaching sustainable development. CAT, despite its name, no longer concentrates its efforts exclusively on al ...

North Wales North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...

(a.k.a. ''The Quarry''), in Undercurrents (magazine) in the 1970s. Alternative Technologies are created to be safer, cleaner, and overall more efficient. The goals of alternative technology are to decrease demand for critical elements by ensuring a secure supply of technology that is environmentally friendly, increased efficiency with lower costs, and with more common materials to avoid potential future materials crises. Alternative technologies use

renewable energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...

sources such as solar power and wind energy. Some alternative technologies have in the past or may in the future become widely adopted, after which they might no longer be considered "alternative." For example, the use of

wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that wind power, converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of list of most powerful wind turbines, large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over ...

s to produce electricity.

Alternative technologies listed

Alternative technologies include the following: *

Anaerobic digestion Anaerobic digestion is a sequence of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. The process is used for industrial or domestic purposes to Waste management, manage waste or to produce fuels. Mu ...

Biogas Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste, Wastewater treatment, wastewater, and food waste. Biogas is produced by anaerobic ...

Landfill gas Landfill gas is a mix of different gases created by the action of microorganisms within a landfill as they decompose organic waste, including for example, food waste and paper waste. Landfill gas is approximately forty to sixty percent methane, ...

extraction *

Composting Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by Decomposition, decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and man ...

* Alternative fuel vehicles *

Greywater Greywater (or grey water, sullage, also spelled gray water in the United States) refers to domestic wastewater generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal contamination, i.e., all streams except for the wastewater fro ...

Solar panel A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are made of materials that produce excited electrons when exposed to light. These electrons flow through a circuit and produce direct ...

s ** Silicon-based **

Photosynthetic Photosynthesis ( ) is a Biological system, system of biological processes by which Photoautotrophism, photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical ener ...

" Gratzel cells" (

Titanium dioxide Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania , is the inorganic compound derived from titanium with the chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6 (PW6), or Colour Index Internationa ...

) *

Recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the propert ...

Wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that wind power, converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of list of most powerful wind turbines, large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over ...

Alternative technologies explained

Anaerobic digestion

* Biogas, landfill gas extraction

is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material when there is no oxygen. During anaerobic digestion, one of the end products is biogas, which is combusted to generate electricity and heat, or can be processed into renewable natural gas and transportation fuels. Anaerobic digestion is considered alternative technology because it is a way to create

energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...

using materials that can be broken down and reused for something else.

Composting

Compost Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by Decomposition, decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and man ...

organic matter Organic matter, organic material or natural organic matter is the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come fro ...

that has been decomposed in a process called composting, which is the breaking down of the materials within that item. This process recycles various organic materials otherwise regarded as waste products and produces a

soil conditioner A soil conditioner is a product which is added to soil to improve the soil’s physical qualities, usually its fertility (ability to provide nutrition for plants) and sometimes its mechanics. In general usage, the term "soil conditioner" is often ...

(the ''compost''). Composting is considered alternative technology because it is an environmentally friendly way to use decomposed waste and use it to condition soil. Because compost improves soil structure, adds beneficial microbes, and boosts

cation exchange capacity Cation-exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of how many cations can be retained on soil particle surfaces. Negative charges on the surfaces of soil particles bind positively-charged atoms or molecules (cations), but allow these to exchange with ot ...

(CEC), compost improves water and nutrients in the soil, and makes nutrients more readily available to plants.

Alternative fuel vehicles

Alternative fuel vehicle An alternative fuel vehicle is a motor vehicle that runs on alternative fuel rather than traditional petroleum-based fossil fuels such as gasoline, petrodiesel or liquefied petroleum gas (autogas). The term typically refers to internal combustio ...

s are vehicles that run on a fuel other than traditional fuels such as petroleum fuels (

petrol Gasoline (North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formul ...

Diesel fuel Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a re ...

). Alternative fuel vehicles are widely known as electric cars, cars that run on a battery that needs to simply be charged. Gas is never required for the car to run, which is efficient for the environment. Alternative fuel vehicles were created because of environmental concerns and high oil prices and is a cleaner alternative. Alternative fuel vehicles will protect against global warming as well as pollution. The most popular electric car in the US is a Tesla. Alternative fuel vehicles also include hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Greywater reuse

is gently used water from your bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, and washing machines. It is not water that has come into contact with feces, either from the toilet or from washing diapers. This water is relatively clean water that has been used in everyday things such as water from the shower. This water is reused as a safe and beneficial source of irrigation in a yard because it is safe to plants and acts as a fertilizer. People are encouraged to use greywater irrigation systems on their plants and

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...

because it will save water and reduce water bills within a household. Grey

water reuse Water reclamation is the process of converting municipal wastewater or sewage and industrial wastewater into water that can be reused for a variety of purposes. It is also called wastewater reuse, water reuse or water recycling. There are many ty ...

is considered an alternative technology because it is an environmentally friendly way to reuse and save water.

Solar panels

s absorb

sunlight Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible spectrum, visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrare ...

as a source of energy to generate direct current

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

. Solar panels are used to generate and supplies

solar electricity Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to conve ...

and are often found on household roofs or in fields (especially in the desert, like in the photo to the right). Solar power is an efficient way to achieve a clean energy future. Every day, the sun gives off far more energy than we need to power everything on earth. Solar panels are renewable, CO₂ free, and have low operating costs because they simply use the suns energy to produce electricity and once they are installed, there are no further variable costs. One issue with solar panels is that they are expensive, and even though they will eventually be worth it, they are an investment."In 2019, the average cost of installing solar panels is $3.05 per watt, so with the average system size tallying in at 6 kilowatts, this means that the average solar panel system cost in the U.S. is around $12,810 after tax credits are applied."

Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting

waste Waste are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor Value (economics), economic value. A wast ...

materials into new materials and objects. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower

greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...

. "Recycling can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy usage, air pollution (from

incineration Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of substances contained in waste materials. Industrial plants for waste incineration are commonly referred to as waste-to-energy facilities. Incineration and other high ...

), and water pollution (from landfilling)". It is considered an alternative technology because it is an alternative and cleaner way to dispose of garbage that can be reused or used for something else. Recycling includes extracting and processing raw resources such as wood and oil to make usable materials such as paper and plastic requires a lot of energy. Recycling saves energy because the products being recycled usually require much less processing to turn them into usable materials.

Wind turbines

Middelgrunden wind farm 2009-07-01 edit filtered

Wind turbines are considered a form of alternative technology because their purpose is converting wind into electrical energy. As wind blows, it pushes the turbines to spin, gathering electrical energy. There are wind farms all over the world and many even in bodies of water, as shown in the picture to the right. Wind turbines are a cheaper and efficient alternative for getting electrical energy and continue to be used all over the world.

References

External links

Centre for Alternative Technology, N Wales

Recycled wood

Australia's alternative technology association

Alternative technology news and resources

Gratzel Cells - Solar Cells Based on Titanium Dioxide

Centre for Alternative Energy (European)

The Alternative Technology Movement
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alternative Technology Biodegradable waste management Technology by type Environmental technology Waste treatment technology Sustainable technologies