Everything can be turned into a smog vacuum cleaner in Beijing

While the new and sparkly parts of tech, such as automated cars and virtual reality, typically get the spotlight, innovators in Beijing are making noteworthy advancements in smog reduction. This environmental issue is a daily concern for people in this city and technology is now an ally to combat it. Tech innovators in Asia are thinking about tackling not only these social issues, but also creative design. 

The smog issue can be tackled in two ways, through smog reduction and clean air production. Now there is a smog-eating tower that actually does both. It can clean a football stadium worth of air every single day. The purified air that returns to the city is up to 70% cleaner than what went in. That reduces the average smog intake per person from the equivalent of ~17 cigarettes per day to only 5. While a considerable reduction, there is still more work to do for key leaders in this space such as Dean Roosegaard, who is now expanding into other wearables and vehicles for cleaner air. For example, there are rings that can eliminate 1,000 meters cubed worth of smog-filled air. An even more impressive feat will be to build a bicycle that can generate a smog-eliminating process with each pedal. 

As technical advancements start to swell in the environmental space, design and PR are also becoming more and more critical. This smog tower won a design award and is based off of the look and feel of a Chinese pagoda. Similarly there are other examples across Asia such as the panda-shaped solar farm and Singapore solar trees. The creativity inherent in these executions better lend themselves to viral awareness and even company goodwill. For example, a quick Google search for ‘giant panda solar farm’ results in a full page of organic search results. By simply organizing their solar panels in a creative fashion, they can make a big impact with a low digital advertising budget. They are essentially creating good content purely from their business idea, which is an effective way to standout as environmental tech continues to grow.

Smog Vacuum

Attack on Smog

Panda Solar Farm