Embrace sustainable technology and automation for a thriving future

Artificial intelligence and automation have made headline news in recent years. The meteoric rise of generative AI for content creation has some folks worried about the proliferation of fake news, while others have hailed the inception of large language models as the dawn of a new digital age.

While the future of AI remains unclear, there’s no doubt that it could be used to aid our efforts to create a more sustainable, efficient world. If leveraged correctly, machine-learning algorithms could accurately track our carbon emissions, reduce energy consumption, and empower people to lead more sustainable, eco-friendly lives.

Smart agriculture

Farming and agriculture account for a large chunk of our carbon emissions. Statistics collated by Our World in Data show that between 21% to 37% of global total emissions come from food production. This is largely caused by:

• Land use: Deforestation, peatland farming, and emissions from cultivated soils all contribute to carbon emissions and hasten climate change.
• Agriculture: Livestock, fertilizers, and on-site machinery produce large amounts of methane and carbon dioxide.
• Supply chains: Food packaging, refrigeration, and transport are energy-intensive and incur high carbon costs.

Addressing food-related emissions should be a priority for food manufacturers looking to combat climate change. Today, that means we should champion calls for farmers to use more automated technology on their land. The benefits of smart farming include:

• Reduced waste thanks to sensors that dictate exactly how much water and fertilizer crops need. IoT sensors also can be used to detect incoming freezes or improve temperature management in greenhouses.
• Minimized carbon emissions thanks to autonomous tractors that do not require breaks, which saves fuel and time.
• Improved yields thanks to robotic planting, which operates using seed data to plant each crop perfectly.

Adopting these automated solutions will cut down on waste, improve land use efficiency, and minimize the emissions passed on to consumers. This can promote an ethos of environmental stewardship and aid international efforts to fight climate change.

Automation and environmental stewardship

Environmental stewardship and economic growth don’t have to be at odds with one another. In fact, many high-performing firms play a critical role in making the world greener. Big brands like Crocs and Nike are committed to net zero and a third of the UK’s top 100 businesses recently have joined the United Nation’s Race to Zero campaign. Today, industry leaders can use automation to become more sustainable by:

• Using solar panels and smart thermostats to reduce energy waste and harness renewable sources.
• Installing automated software to effectively estimate emissions and waste, thus improving environmental, social and governance reporting. Additionally, automated fleet management software can help drivers identify the most eco-friendly routes and respond to traffic in real-time.
• Streamlining manufacturing processes to cut down on waste and aid recycling efforts.

These changes can bolster the accuracy of the firm’s environmental reporting immediately, and they can aid efforts to become more sustainable. Switching over to automated systems that re-route drivers and identify causes of waste can improve a company’s operational efficiency and cut down costs, too. These savings can be reinvested into community-oriented, eco-friendly projects like local clean-ups, the creation of green spaces, and residential land purchases for allotments.

Conclusion

Embracing sustainable technology can help businesses cut down on waste and create a brighter future for us all.

Today, businesses can use automation to lead the charge to net zero and should lean on tools that track carbon emissions and waste. This will help them stay accountable and identify areas for improvement in the current operations. Automation can help businesses grow, too, as these AI tools will reduce operating costs and free up funds for expansion.