Italian Energy and Environmental Technologies
I recently came back from a trip to Italy, during which I observed several interesting devices that meet energy and environmentally conscious needs. These technologies are present in the everyday life of Italians, due to the higher costs of energy. living are greater they try to maximize on what is available to them. The commonality I saw between all of them is infrastructure, which ties everything together, specifically electricity, transportation, plumbing, and waste disposal.
Transportation
After landing at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, I made my way to my hotel by taxi. The trip took me through minimal traffic, during which time I noted that road going vehicles are generally much smaller in Italy. Lots of people drive scooters or motorcycles instead of cars, though the cars they do have usually range in size between a Smart Car and what Americans would consider to be a mid-sized sedan. The few SUVs I did see were still able to fit in a footprint about the size of an Enzo Ferrari (an Italian favorite in addition to their domestically produced Lamborghini and Maserati). While the Italians are car lovers, they are still practical.
When I went to go take the train from Rome to Florence, I noticed that my Trenitalia ticket said: I saved the planet around 32 kg CO. Train travel is much more ubiquitous in Europe than it is in the United States where we are constantly reminded of the farce that is Amtrak. The railways bare more of the passengers that would otherwise be highway bound in the U.S. (though American freight rail is world dominant) In efficiency terms, this increases the number of passenger-miles capable of being moved at one time, thus reducing the need to expend more energy or emit more emissions than is necessary.
Electricity
My hotel in Rome, in addition to being very nice, was also equipped with room card switches, which enables the room’s electricity when the card key is inserted. This prevents guests from leaving the lights on when they leave, saving energy. While this is a concept that the American market might not be fond of, it nevertheless is something that we should pursue, not only as a means of conservation but also, to increase awareness.
At one weekly outdoor market I went to, I noticed that the booths had LED lighting. LEDs, or light emitting diodes, are semiconductors which emit light, though require much less energy to power than most normal light bulbs.
(Click to enlarge photos)
[Note how you can see each individual LED]
Plumbing
While there are not many of them, I did see a few rooftop mounted solar water heaters. These devices look like a rack of metal pipes fixed inside of a frame. They circulate water which the sun has heated, saving electricity.
This may seem like something curious to note, but the flushers do save water, and in no small quantity. Most bathrooms are equipped with variable flushing so that more or less water can be used, depending on the need. On my way back to the States I transferred through Frankfurt. The urinals in the restrooms (which I did not photograph for obvious reasons) used no running water. Instead, they used other hygienic methods to whisk the waste away, saving 400,000 gallons of water per a urinal per a year.
For those interested in green technology and Europe, I would highly recommend examining Italy. The Italian devices I saw serve as an indicator of how much opportunity there is for us to expand upon similar ventures here in the United States.
