Green Industry, Green Technology, and Environmental Health

In the context that the world is facing great challenges such as climate change and resource shortages, green industry has emerged and become one of the most effective solutions, playing an extremely important role in creating a sustainable future for people. Let’s learn about what green technology is and its benefits and applications in life.

1. What is green industry?

1.1 What is green industry?

What is green industry? Green industry is part of green technology and aims to promote the development of industries that are sustainable and minimize negative impacts on the environment.

Green industry encompasses a wide range of activities such as designing sustainable products, optimizing production processes, using clean energy sources, minimizing waste and emissions released into the environment, and reusing resources. Green industry also aims to offer solutions that optimize the operations of companies and businesses, helping them create economic value and at the same time reduce environmental pollution.

1.2 History

The concept of green industry began to emerge in the 1980s, when scientists and governments began to pay attention to the negative impact of industrial activities on the environment. In the 1990s, international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) came up with solutions and policies to encourage the use of clean energy sources and optimize production processes.

Since then, green technology has been developed and applied in various fields, such as renewable energy, smart cities, efficient transportation and sustainable agriculture.

1.3 What is green technology?

Green technologies (also known as clean technology, environmental technology) are technologies designed to reduce environmental pollution and use natural resources in a sustainable way. Green industries in Vietnam can be applied in many different sectors, including energy, manufacturing, transportation, waste treatment, agriculture, and construction.

Green technologies often use renewable energy sources to help optimize production processes, minimize waste, treat wastewater, enhance resource efficiency and ensure sustainable development in production and business activities. The goal is to strike a balance between economic progress and environmental protection, contributing to the sustainable development of society.

1.4 Types of green technologies

Types of green technologies can be mentioned as:

· Alternative Energy: Includes renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, soil temperature… Using these energy sources helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from traditional energy sources such as coal or oil.

· Electric Vehicles: Vehicles that use electric energy to operate, instead of using fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel. Electric vehicles help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and reduce urban air pollution.

· Sustainable Agriculture: A method of cultivating land using environmentally friendly methods and technologies, helping to minimize water consumption and the use of chemicals in agricultural production. This technology helps to increase productivity, improve product quality and minimize negative impacts on the environment.

· Recycling: The process of recycling used materials to create new products. Recycling reduces the amount of waste and saves natural resources.

· Carbon Capture: This technology helps capture and store CO2 emitted from power plants, metallurgical plants, cement plants and other industries, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the air.

2. Why develop green industry?

Green industrial development is necessary as it helps minimize the impact of industrial production on the environment and natural resources. Traditional industries often consume energy and resources wastefully, causing many emissions.

Therefore, one of the most important reasons for developing green industries is to minimize pollution and ongoing environmental problems worldwide. Traditional industrial activities are causing a lot of air, water and land pollution, affecting the health of humans and animals, as well as damaging ecosystems.

In addition, green industry also saves natural resources, reduces the amount of waste, and creates new jobs and business opportunities. This can also help enhance economic development and benefit communities.

Finally, green industrial development also enhances the competitiveness of businesses in the global market, because consumers are increasingly interested in products and services that meet environmental and social standards.

3. The trend of green technology development in Vietnam

3.1 Development of clean energy applications in industries

In the world, the use of clean energy sources for industrial production is receiving special attention, especially for developed countries. One of the green industry development trends focused by countries is the development of biogas fuel.

This fuel is a renewable energy source from organic matter and waste of livestock, sewage sludge, which can replace combustion fuels to operate machinery and production lines without polluting the environment. The use of biogas fuel is considered a viable solution to gradually reduce dependence on environmentally damaging fossil fuel sources.

3.2 Encourage the production of environmentally friendly machinery and equipment

In recent decades, fuel economy and environmental protection have become a major challenge for the automotive industry. With strict regulations on emissions, automakers are faced with the question of how to produce cheap, fuel-efficient and non-polluting engines while ensuring performance.

Clean energy sources such as electric motors and solar power have been invented, but they are difficult to apply in automobile manufacturing. The introduction of hybrid engines has helped solve some of the above questions. Hybrid engines combining electric motors and internal combustion engines bring a lot of value to the automotive industry. Hybrid cars use a combination engine consisting of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Internal combustion engines use gasoline or diesel as usual, while electric motors rely on renewable current from the internal combustion engine or from the vehicle’s battery source. Although the hybrid engine is not yet considered “clean” completely, it has brought many benefits to the environment and people.

3.3 The trend of green agricultural development

Green agriculture aims to increase crop and livestock productivity, while protecting the environment and ensuring human safety. To achieve this goal, biotechnologies, biofertilizers, pest and disease management, advances in farming and seed research need to be invested more in the future, to benefit the environment and people, contribute to building ecological civilization and reduce environmental pollution.

Biofuels are more environmentally protective than fossil fuels, but using food to produce first-generation biofuels would waste a lot of food. However, Brazil has succeeded in adopting biofuels to save costs. In 2017, biofuels accounted for 9% of the country’s total fuel and saved Brazil $870 million annually. Biofuels are produced from crops such as sunflower, soybean and animal fats.

3.4 Green service development trend

In the service sector, countries around the world are focusing on developing and using various types of services related to the protection of natural landscapes and the environment. Sustainable tourism is growing, with increased consumer demand and travel service providers launching more “green” travel programs. The government is also promoting the implementation of policies to encourage sustainable tourism. One of the top criteria of sustainable tourism is “Tourism services combining conservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and natural landscapes”.

To ensure sustainable tourism, there are the following regulations:

· The use of wild species harvested from the wild for consumption, display or sale must comply with regulations;

· Wild species must not be seized unless it is eco-conditioning;

· The use of native species for landscape decoration and embellishment must take measures to prevent invasive alien species;

· Contribute support to biodiversity conservation activities, including support for nature reserves and areas of high biodiversity value;

· Activities that interact with the environment must not cause harm to the viability of the biome, should limit, any negative impacts on the ecosystem as well as have a contribution fee for ecosystem conservation activities.

3.5 Difficulties and challenges in green industry development in Vietnam

Since 2000, Vietnam has started to embrace and approach the trend of green economic development in the world, with a small number of green energy projects being tested. After studying and learning experiences of other countries on green economic development, Vietnam has implemented the 3R project (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and the results are highly appreciated by foreign experts in theory.

Along with that, currently, Vietnam is also implementing bioenergy projects, while possessing many natural advantages such as tropical, monsoon, abundant solar energy and fast-growing organisms. All these advantages are strengths for Vietnam to participate in the Millennium Development Goals programs and towards building a green economy with sustainable development. However, the development of green industry in Vietnam is still facing great difficulties and challenges such as:

· First, in the awareness of a green economy, currently in Vietnam, there is still a novelty and it is necessary to continue to research and spread knowledge widely to all walks of life, from leaders to policy makers, businesses and citizens. Without sufficient awareness and consensus in society, the realization of a green economy will be difficult.

· Second, the green economy includes the use of renewable energy, green growth, investment in ecosystem restoration and addressing livelihoods associated with environmental restoration. However, the current production technology in Vietnam still mainly uses old, outdated technologies that consume large amounts of energy, so the transition to new technologies suitable for the green economy is a big challenge, requiring the help of high-tech countries. Many rural and mountainous areas still face many difficulties in developing green economies.

· Third, mobilizing capital to realize the goal of “building a green economy” is also a challenge, because Vietnam’s national accumulation is still lower than that of developed countries. In addition, the policy mechanism to implement a green economy in Vietnam is still unclear, which needs to be reviewed and amended to suit the new development model towards restructuring the economic sector and towards a “green economy”.

Although Vietnam has a policy towards a green industry, focusing on energy efficiency and reducing environmental pollution, the implementation is still not synchronous and there is no clear development of different areas. The lack of clear development strategy and planning has caused the fragmentation in the implementation of the green industry in Vietnam.

4. Today’s waste recycling technology

Currently, there are many new green technologies developed to recycle waste more efficiently and minimize negative impacts on the environment. One of the latest technologies used is biodegradation technology. This technology uses microorganisms to decompose organic and biological waste in the air or water environment. As a result, garbage is decomposed naturally and does not cause harmful emissions or any negative impact on the environment.

In addition, plastic waste recycling technology is also being developed interested. This technology uses methods of converting different types of plastic into recycled products or new raw materials for the production of other products.

In addition, the use of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to sort and treat waste is also becoming increasingly popular. These technologies help reduce dependence on labor and increase efficiency in waste disposal.

At the exhibition on waste treatment equipment and solutions, recycling technology to protect the environment – Waste and Recycling Vietnam 2023, businesses will be updated on the latest technologies in converting waste into valuable products, contributing to reducing the volume of waste on earth. Moreover, WRV 2023 will be a great opportunity for consumers and businesses to access  the most advanced green solutions and technologies  to apply to bring real benefits in life.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, Waste and Recycling Vietnam 2023 in Vietnam by RX Tradex is an important event in showcasing the most advanced waste recycling technologies, while focusing on the green aspect and creating a link with the theme of green technology, green industry, contributing to reducing waste on earth and protecting the environment. Register for Waste and Recycling Vietnam exhibition 2023 today!