Application of Blockchain technology in Environmental Monitoring

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the topic of sustainability and technology, because technology itself is not necessarily as green as it should or could be. That is why it can be difficult to trust something that preaches ecological changes, but also contributes to worsening climate change.

And that is the point where we need to break down the most important factors that not only the blockchain, but also all the tools and services related to the technology depend on to exist and function properly:

• Well-established hardware and software infrastructure;
• Electrical energy;
• Human contribution;
• Stable Internet connection

It is clear that without the latter it would not be possible to exploit any computer application, no matter how useful its use might be.

That said, all technological advances depend on electricity and the internet, which can be harder to supply in all parts of the world. So it has become more urgent to find ways to deliver those products and do so sustainably.

How Helium and The People’s Network are helping the environment

Blockchain-based projects like Helium demonstrate that sustainability, philanthropy and technology can come together to achieve the common good.

In short, The people’s network Helium’s goal is to create better internet coverage around the world, which would allow people in less developed and more distant places to have Wi-Fi for their personal or business needs. This is done with the help of IoT devices, which anyone can buy and which, when exploited, create the so-called LoRaWAN. These devices can send radio signals over longer distances. Everyone who owns a Helium device and contributes to the network receives an incentive in the platform’s native currency: HNT.

This means that the main goal of the network is to encourage people to do good deeds by providing Wi-Fi to those who are less fortunate and to enable businesses to improve their work by incorporating smart technology.

Environmental monitoring in the Helium ecosystem

As we have already clarified what La Red Popular is and how it works, it is also worth explaining the meaning of environmental monitoring to better understand how both are linked.

Environmental monitoring is the process of inspecting climatic conditions, collecting information on changes and trends in the state of the environment and using it to improve agro-industry, the preservation of flora and fauna and to formulate better principles of environmental law.

In general, the process involves collecting data, analyzing it, and distributing it to relevant organizations that will conduct further research into how the information provided may affect the current and future lives of people on Earth.

The most common types of environmental monitoring include monitoring:

• Air quality
• Water levels
• Hazardous waste
• Temperature trends
• Wind currents

As we all know, climate change has affected some communities more than others. Natural disasters have become more common, and due to the lack of advanced monitoring, it is not possible to prepare in advance. Property damage and loss of life cannot be avoided unless there is reliable data on future climate conditions.

Of course, technology cannot be considered a fortune teller, but it does all the calculations, giving us a better idea of ​​what could potentially happen and scientific facts can only back it up. But there are companies involved in efficient environmental monitoring, which have partnered with Helium to make their data collection more meticulous and useful for humanity.

Airy

One of the most serious health problems is air pollution: the fine particles we breathe every day can cause serious respiratory problems. For many governments, monitoring air quality has become a priority, especially in large cities; however, citizens do not always have access to this data and are not aware of how polluted the air can be in their own neighbourhood, especially during the colder months.

Airly is an app that provides up-to-date information on air quality both outdoors and indoors. Thanks to its partnership with Helium, all Airly sensors are connected to its wireless network and can provide the latest details on air quality at the exact time and place.

NEW

Clean water is a real blessing that many of us take for granted. With long, hot summers, wildfires and droughts, we have finally started to realise how important water is as a resource. People have to be very reasonable with their water usage in order to still be able to have tap water. Another big problem that many people with older plumbing systems face is water leaks, which can be very devastating – not only is unnecessary property damage caused, but precious litres of water are also wasted.

NOWI has a solution for water waste that works with The People’s network. The company sells special water meters that can identify leaks, and the moment an accident is detected, you are immediately informed via the mobile app on your phone. This smart technology will send you notifications about unusual water usage, which is an important starting point for solving water waste.

Keep

It’s easy to forget that climate change can also affect the way objects are preserved. Conservation is not a one-time activity, but requires constant attention and maintenance. That’s why the Conserv platform has come up with a proactive way to ensure that the conditions in which cultural heritage pieces are stored are suitable. Environmental monitoring sensors can detect pest problems, humidity and temperature levels that could be harmful to certain objects. With the help of Helium, Conserv offers a wireless monitoring system that allows people working in conservation to keep track of the conditions that determine their attempt to preserve what previous generations left behind.

InfiSense

InfiSense is also working on improving the use of smart sensors that contribute to finding better sustainable solutions for environmental monitoring and also for the agricultural industry. Thanks to these special devices, data is easily collected and analysed. Customers have access to real-time information, on the basis of which their next production strategy is established. Without Helium it would not be possible to track weather conditions in remote areas, so the greater the coverage of this wireless network, the more data can be collected and used.

Read more about How can blockchain technology improve smart agriculture?

Conclusion

Although this technology was created to solve problems related to financial inequality, it is extremely versatile and can therefore be applied to different spheres. Blockchain adoption has gained momentum in recent years, however, most projects incorporating it will need a lot of time to work as intended. Right now we only have a handful of ideas, but most of the time there is no full-fledged software product, which is ready for exploitation and public use.

There are pioneering companies in intelligent environmental monitoring, such as those mentioned in this article, and so far their performance has shown that these first steps in collaboration with blockchain-based networks are more than successful. It depends on the level of global adoption whether or not more projects like these can be developed and used for the common good.