Ashis Panigrahi Innovation, Society, Technology

Sustainable approaches for IoT devices

According to the latest available data, there are approximately 17 billion connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices and this figure is expected to almost double to 29 billion by 2030. As per verified market research, IoT Devices Market size was valued at USD 125 B$ in 2023 and is projected to reach 620 B$ by 2031 (1).

The growing adoption of smart devices has driven demand for IoT devices, making sustainability more critical than ever as IoT’s role in business continues to expand. Most of the IoT devices have dangerous elements inside, ranging from heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium to hazardous chemicals like brominated flame retardants.

They are smaller in size!

The good news is; compared to other technology products, IoT devices has lesser environmental impact and they can deliver greener results. IoT devices are small physical devices, so their production requires fewer raw materials and lesser plastics and packaging materials, thus producing less e-waste.

The unique design of IoT devices has inherent restrictions in memory, so they use embedded systems programming which can run in such restricted conditions. IoT industry dictates the development of more complex systems that can be run on limited resources. IoT devices are compact and smaller than regular computers, designed for seamless integration into various environments. Despite their size, they can perform critical tasks, including real-time monitoring and data analysis. Their efficiency and versatility make them essential in smart systems and automation. Manufacturing of IoT devices requires less material as well as less energy than a large computers.

IoT devices are used primarily for data collection. They continuously collect information and send it to data centers for analysis. The whole process takes a lot of energy and is perhaps not always worth it. It would be a good practice to evaluate the real need for IoT use, in terms of what we gain and how much we spend in the race for popular digital instruments.

Where is the challenge?

The challenge is in it’s waste disposal, and associated environmental impact. Some of the critical concerns are:

  1. Increased Volume of E-Waste: The proliferation of IoT devices leads to a significant increase in electronic waste, contributing to the growing global e-waste problem. 17B IoT devices as of today and it is growing exponentially.
  2. Resource Consumption and Toxicity: IoT devices often contain rare earth metals and hazardous materials that are challenging to recycle and can be toxic to the environment if not disposed of properly.
  3. Short Lifespan: Many IoT devices have short lifespans and are not designed for easy disassembly or recycling, leading to more frequent disposal and accumulation of waste in landfills.

As we discussed at the beginning, IoT devices often contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. These metals can leach into soil and water, causing environmental contamination and health issues like neurological damage, kidney disease, and cancer. Lead exposure can cause high blood pressure and brain, kidney and reproductive health issues in adults. Exposure to mercury may cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and stomach, cough, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, insomnia, irritability, among others. IoT devices often contain lithium-ion batteries in them, which can pose fire hazards if damaged. Improper disposal can lead to toxic leaks, causing soil and water contamination.

What are sustainable approaches?

To reduce the environmental impact of IoT devices in terms of e-waste, several approaches can be considered:

  1. Design for Longevity and Repairability: Develop IoT devices with longer lifespans, modular components, and easy repairability to reduce the need for frequent replacements.
  2. Use of Sustainable Materials: Utilise recyclable and non-toxic materials in the manufacturing of IoT devices to minimise environmental harm.
  3. Improved Recycling Programs: Establish and promote efficient e-waste recycling programs to ensure proper disposal and recovery of valuable materials from discarded IoT devices.
  4. Standardisation and Interoperability: Encourage standardisation of components and interoperability between devices to reduce the need for multiple, redundant gadgets.
  5. Manufacturer Take-Back Schemes: Implement take-back programs where manufacturers are responsible for collecting and recycling their products at the end of their lifecycle.
  6. Consumer Awareness and Education: Educate consumers about the environmental impact of e-waste and encourage responsible purchasing, usage, and disposal of IoT devices.
  7. Legislation and Regulation: Advocate for stricter regulations and policies that mandate environmentally friendly practices in the production, usage, and disposal of IoT devices.

Can GenAI come to the rescue?

Identifying alternative materials used in IoT devices is crucial as we use more and more connected devices and in-order-to address environmental concerns. The search for eco-friendly materials can reduce the environmental impact and promote the development of greener technologies. Generative AI (GenAI) can play a pivotal role in this process by analysing vast amounts of data to predict and discover new materials with desirable properties. GenAI can simulate the performance of these materials in various conditions, accelerating the research and development process. Additionally, GenAI can optimise manufacturing processes to incorporate these new materials efficiently, ensuring that IoT devices are not only sustainable but also cost-effective and high-performing.

Conclusion

The market demand for IoT devices is rapidly increasing as industries and consumers want to harness the power of connected technologies for enhanced efficiency, convenience, and innovation. However, this surge in demand brings about significant environmental challenges due to the materials and manufacturing processes currently used. Adopting sustainable approaches in the production and deployment of IoT devices is critical to mitigating these environmental impacts. Sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly materials, improving energy efficiency, and implementing robust recycling programs, ensure that the growth of IoT does not come at the expense of our planet. By prioritising sustainability, manufacturers not only will meet regulatory requirements but also will contribute to a greener future while maintaining the technological advancements that IoT devices offer.

References

  1. IoT Devices Market Size And Forecast. https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/iot-devices-market/
Ashis Panigrahi Climate Science, geospatial, Innovation

Climate mitigation and adaptation actions need to be localised.

Introduction

Climate change is a global phenomenon, meaning it affects all parts of the world, regardless of geographic location. This interconnected impact is due to the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans being part of a global system, where changes in one region can have ripple effects across the globe. Here are several examples to justify why climate change is a global phenomenon:

Rising Sea Levels is due to various factors: increase in temperature driven by CO2 emissions into the atmosphere since late 19thcentury resulting into melting of polar ice that is adding more water to the oceanic system and expansion of water volume as the oceanic temperature increases. And we can see the global impact of rising sea levels that threaten coastal communities worldwide, including cities like New York, Shanghai, and Mumbai. This also impacts island nations such as the Maldives, which face the threat of becoming uninhabitable.

“While climate change is a global issue, effective mitigation and adaptation actions need to be localised“

“Formulating climate solutions requires a thorough understanding of the specific influencing factors, constraints, and opportunities within each region. Technology will play a more crucial role than ever before in enabling these localised solutions”

Over the past few weeks, the author has focused his research on climate change, particularly examining the region of Odisha, a coastal state in India. His aim has been to understand the various dynamics driving extreme weather conditions and to explore potential approaches for developing solutions addressing the climate change in this region.

Key Extreme Weather Events witnessed by people of Odisha are: 

  1. Heatwaves. A significant increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves have been observed where the state regularly experiences temperatures soaring above 40°C during summer, particularly affecting the western and interior regions. This has severe health impacts, leading to increased cases of heatstroke and dehydration. 
  2. Cyclones. Odisha’s coastline is prone to cyclones originating from the Bay of Bengal. The frequency and intensity of these cyclones have increased, with notable recent examples including Cyclone Fani (2019) and Cyclone Amphan (2020). Cyclones cause widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, and agriculture. They also result in significant economic losses and displacement of communities. 
  3. Flooding. The monsoon season brings heavy rainfall, often leading to severe flooding in low-lying and coastal areas. The erratic nature of monsoon patterns due to climate change exacerbates the frequency and severity of floods. Flooding results in loss of life, damage to property, and disruption of livelihoods. It also poses health risks due to waterborne diseases and hampers access to clean water and sanitation.
  4. Drought. While certain areas of Odisha experience excessive rainfall, others suffer from prolonged dry spells. This irregularity in rainfall patterns contributes to drought conditions, especially in the western and interior districts. Droughts lead to water scarcity, reduced agricultural productivity, and increased food insecurity. They also affect the availability of drinking water and can lead to conflicts over water resources.

Causes of extreme weather

  1. Global Climate Change. The increase in global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions is a primary driver of extreme weather events. Higher temperatures exacerbate heatwaves and influence ocean temperatures, contributing to more intense cyclones.
  2. Deforestation. Deforestation and changes in land use, such as mining excavations, urbanization and industrialization, reduce the land’s natural ability to regulate temperature and absorb rainfall, leading to increased vulnerability to extreme weather.
  3. Oceanic and Atmospheric Circulation. The Bay of Bengal’s warm waters and atmospheric conditions play a crucial role in the formation and intensification of cyclones. Changes in oceanic circulation patterns due to climate change further enhance these conditions.

These above are the obvious reasons for climate change. But, the author wants to introduce a new dynamics to this discussion that is topology of a region and how it plays a bigger role in trapping or releasing heat Odisha, plays a significant role in how heat is trapped on the land. Several geographical and climatic factors contribute to this phenomenon:

Geographical Features

The Eastern Ghats: The Eastern Ghats run parallel to the coast but are relatively low in altitude compared to the other parts of Eastern Ghat and Western Ghats. They do not act as significant barriers to the movement of moist air from the Bay of Bengal, allowing more humid air to move inland but not sufficiently high to block or reflect solar radiation. So Mountainous relief also called orographic lifting phenomenon to provide rlief from heat doesn’t occur.

Coastal Plains: Odisha’s coastal plains are flat and expansive, making them more susceptible to the accumulation of heat. The lack of significant elevation means there is little to disrupt the direct heating of the land surface by solar radiation.

Inland Water bodies: The presence of large rivers like the Mahanadi and various lakes and reservoirs can also affect local microclimates. Water bodies absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, which can moderate temperature fluctuations but also contribute to higher overall temperatures. 

Solution Approach

In this case, we not only have man made challenges, but we have the topological adversity playing a bigger role. High humidity levels, especially after the monsoon season, can trap heat in the lower atmosphere, leading to increased night-time temperatures. This reduces the cooling effect that typically occurs during the night.

While everyone is working towards reduced CO2 emission to tackle the global temperature rise, this may not yield greater result for region like Odisha unless we look at the holistic view and have adaptation actions for topological adversity discussed above. 

How to reduce direct heating of the land?

Planation and agriculture practices that can use humidity from the atmosphere and doesn’t rely on monsoon rain.

Some of the strategy considered to reduce direct heating are:

  • Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting trees and restoring forests in rural and peri-urban areas can significantly increase the amount of shaded land and improve local microclimates.
  • Deploying solar panels: Covering the open space and surface of the water bodies with solar panels, will help to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the land and water. Solar panels on water bodies in turn, can help to reduce evaporation, save water and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
  • Mangroves and Coastal Forests: Coastal forests, including mangrove ecosystems, play a significant role in cooling the coastal areas. These green cover areas provide shade, reduce the heat island effect, and help maintain cooler temperatures through transpiration.
  • Reflective: Using light-colored or reflective materials for buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that will reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat. 
  • Cool Roofs: Installing cool roofs with reflective coatings or materials can reduce the amount of heat absorbed by buildings, thereby lowering surrounding temperatures.
  • Urban Greening: Planting trees, shrubs, and other vegetation in urban areas can provide shade and reduce surface temperatures through transpiration.
  • Parks and Green Spaces: Designing urban areas with ample parks and green spaces can reduce overall temperatures by providing shaded areas and promoting natural cooling.
  • Permeable Surfaces: Using permeable materials for pavements and roads allows rainwater to infiltrate the ground, which can reduce surface temperatures and promote cooling through evaporation.

Conclusion

Odisha’s vulnerability to extreme weather events due to climate change necessitates a comprehensive approach involving mitigation, adaptation, and community resilience-building.  The combination of Odisha’s flat coastal plains, low mountain ranges, humid climate, extensive deforestation, and urbanization leads to the trapping of heat on the land. These factors, combined with seasonal weather patterns, result in the region experiencing high temperatures, especially during the post-monsoon and dry seasons. Understanding these geographical and climatic influences is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate heat-related impacts in the region.

This is initial findings and thoughts from the author which needs more detail study in-order to come-up with effective mitigation and adaptation actions. These solution approaches need to be combined with policy actions because of the inhernet complexity and broader scope.

Author is open for comments and potential collaborative works in this area.