To be fair, biofuels definitely have their purpose, but in terms of being the answer to our fossil fuel woes — not. Derived from waste and from living matter, biofuels are said to have the potential to produce even more carbon emissions than other natural gas sources. Using them also could also endanger the worldwide cooking oil supply, limiting our ability to feed the world.
Going to the gym takes a lot of energy, to be sure, so it would be awesome to find a way to harness that energy and channel it into something productive. Born in New York, the idea of floating gyms that travel up and down rivers as a means of transportation may not be the best solution. You probably wouldn’t be able to make the energy savings recoup the losses it would take to build the gym in the first place.
Idea credit: Architect Mitchell Joachim and Personal Trainer Douglas Joachim
Briefly, we were tantalized with the invention of a light bulb that would last for 15 years. Excellent! Except, not so excellent, given that the levels of mercury inside of the light bulb necessary to make them run turned out to be strong enough to endanger anybody in the vicinity.
We don’t really have a good way to dispose of our trash, but burying it miles under the ocean surface isn’t a great plan. Some geniuses came up with the idea of filling sacks with carbon emissions and dumping them in the ocean — with the obvious problems being the potential for snagging and breaking, which could lead to a worldwide increase in ocean acidity, endangering marine life.
Idea credit: Dr. David Keith
People love their bacon, which means that we need a whole lot of pigs. And a whole lot of pigs produce a whole lot of urine. Thus, scientists found a way to create a bioplastic out of pig urine, creating a reusable plate. Unfortunately, the bioplastic happens to release methane when it breaks down, making it a slightly less-than-ideal idea in terms of eco friendliness.
Idea credit: Agroplast
Speaking of methane, we all know that the immense methane production from cows makes the beef and dairy industry wildly unsustainable. After researchers discovered that kangaroo farts are in fact methane-free thanks to a certain type of bacteria, they briefly entertained the idea of introducing the bacteria to cows to achieve the same effect. Because introducing new bacteria to new organisms is always a great plan, never without unintended consequences, right? Such as endangering the health of the cow.
Idea Credit: Athol Klieve, University of Queensland
Similar to the gym idea, it would be great to harness the energy created by cars driving on roadways around the world. All you need to do is insert special absorbent cells into roads to convert the friction into reusable alternative energy. Easy, right? There are only about a gazillion miles of road around the world, and no infrastructure to retrofit them all.
Idea credit: Solar Roadways
The playgrounds of the ultra-rich, private islands were initially pitched as beneficial to the natural environment. In reality, these islands disturb natural ecosystems and harm the environment in a massive way. Dubai’s Palm Islands and The World are prime examples. Documented effects include changes in wildlife, coastal erosion, alongshore sediment transport, and wave patterns. “The typically crystalline waters of the Gulf of Dubai have become severely clouded with silt,” according to Mongabay.com, a site dedicated to conservation. “Construction activity is damaging the marine habitat, burying coral reefs, oyster beds and subterranean fields of sea grass.” The full battery of negative effects will take years to accurately ascertain.
Researchers recently discovered that hairy plants reflect harmful infrared light, creating more photosynthesis in the process. All we have to do is introduce hairier plants into natural ecosystems – because introducing invasive species has never gone wrong before.
Idea credit: Christopher Doughty, University of California at Irvine
Do I really even have to explain why this isn’t a good idea?
