What’s the best eco-friendly invention you can think of?

Schülerinnen und Schüler spielen die „Höhle der Löwen“ und erproben sich als Erfinder im Namen von Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt.

Öko statt Pestizide, Fahrrad statt Auto, mal ‘ne Möhre und kein Steak. Das sind die konventionellen Antworten auf die Frage, wie man denn die Umwelt schützen könne. Doch der 10er Englischkurs ging im Rahmen des Themas „Our blue planet“ darüber hinaus und stellte sich die Aufgabe, was man denn visionär entwickeln könnte, also: Was braucht die Welt an umweltfreundlichen Erfindungen, hat sie aber nicht?

Natürlich umweltfreundliche Medikamentenverpackungen – zu 100 Prozent biologisch abbaubar – für alle Hypochonder, nebenbei für tatsächlich Schmerzgeplagte.  Und was interessiert Jugendliche, die ökologisch leben wollen, ohne direkt mit dicken Socken in Sandalen unterwegs zu sein? Handys. Handys. Und – Handys. So ersannen unsere Schülerinnen und Schüler etwa das Produkt „sunergy“, eine mit unkaputtbaren Solarzellen ausgestattete Schutzhülle, die das darin angeschlossene Telefon mit Sonnenenergie versorgt. Auch eine weitere Gruppe von Erfindern nahm sich des allgegenwärtigen Telefons an: Ihr Akkuprodukt ist im Stande, durch Fahrradbetrieb aufgeladen zu werden und kann außerdem große Datenmengen speichern. Da würde selbst Marty McFlys Doc Brown staunen.

Ideen fürs Smartphone? Typisch Jugendliche. Doch Vorsicht vor Simplifizierungen! Unsere Schülerinnen und Schüler bewiesen kenntnisreich und innovativ, dass sie auch über den Handytellerrand hinausschauen können. Mit einer Plastikzerkleinerungsmaschine etwa, die den Müll in feine Teilchen schreddert, welche schließlich genauso wie die wichtige Ressource Sand genutzt werden können. Auch der sympathische Roboter namens „Trashmaster 3000“ punktete, da er wie Wally zwar nicht die ganze Erde, aber doch die Meere von Plastikmüll säubern kann. Dies wirkt sich potentiell positiv auf die Gesundheit so manchen Meeresbewohners aus, der zum Frühstück gelegentlich die eine oder andere Plastiktüte konsumiert. Nicht bekömmlich, sagt der Hausarzt.

Schließlich ersannen geniale Theoretiker unter den Erfindern ein Bakterium, das in die Atmosphäre fliegt und dort ozonschädigendes Methan entfernt. Ganz altruistisch hatten diese Erfinder noch nicht einmal Profit im Sinne und gedachten die Idee weltweit kostenlos zu verbreiten.

Die jugendlichen Erfinderinnen und Erfinder überzeugten derart in den auf Englisch gehaltenen Vorträgen, dass sie bei der fiktiven ‚Löwen‘ -Jury großzügige Finanzierungshilfen erhielten. Ein Investor stieg gar mit 25 Millionen in das Sandprojekt ein – ohne jegliche Anteile fordern zu wollen. Gibt es das? Vielleicht in der utopischen Zukunft, die unsere Schülerinnen und Schüler mit ihren Erfindungen heute vorausgedeutet haben.

Lesen Sie hier die Texte einiger Schüler/innen:

What’s new on the market?

By Simon Borowy

Welcome to Science News! Your number one magazine for information about the future! Today we are going to focus on two projects and we are going  to take a look at their role in the near future.

The first product we are going to take a look at is the powerbank. Nowadays a lot of people have already known that this exists: However, what I am going to talk about isn't the standard version you know!

This powerbank charges itself while you are outside because it has solar panels on top of the box. The powerbank comes in a whole set with gadgets for your bike so while you are riding your bike you can charge the powerbank. The powerbank has the ability to be used as a USB-drive of incredible 250 GB. But it can be used and charged like a normal powerbank.

The second product we are going to take a look at is the Trashmaster 3000; it's a drone that is able to dive and is controlled by virtual reality. The function of the Trashmaster 3000 is to clean up the oceans. As you may know the ocean is severely polluted and this product is able to consume the trash and turn it into small recktangles. And in that way it will clean up the oceans.

In the near future the powerbank is going to be useful for bikers and people with long working days. As it has the USB-Stick with 250 GB capacity you can carry important data or video games with you. So it's completely useful and eco-friendly. In the near future the Trashmaster 3000 is going to clean up the oceans and is going to save whales and fish from plastic.

Alternative energy: The answer to your questions

By Laura Polaczek

The Earth`s pollution is increasing but its resources are limited. These days, we use more energy than ever before, and the situation is going to get worse. At the moment fossil fuels provide for 80 % of our energy needs, but oil and gas are running out fast. In addition, our consumer society produces tons of toxic waste, including drug packaging and E -waste.  If we go on like this, our planet will soon become one big landfill and we will die out like the dinosaurs did.

There are some ways to save the Earth`s natural resources and reduce the amount of rubbish we throw away. Firstly, we must find alternative sources of energy because burning coal is the leading cause of smog, global warming and acid rain. What`s worse, with advancing technology our bins are filling up with old appliances, PC monitors, phones and TVs. That`s why we should focus on sustainable sources of energy, in particular wind and solar power. In fact, solar panels and wind turbines are eco-friendly and versatile. For instance, we might invent solar- powered electronic devices and even vehicles. As a result, we can charge our phones, laptops, cars and other appliances and protect our environment.

Secondly, we must use biodegradable materials because there is so much packaging on items. Almost everything we buy is packaged and the container is disposable. For example, drug packaging is made from plastic, paper or glass. Materials such as aluminium, plastic or glass are difficult to dispose of, so they are usually thrown away and lie in huge dumps on the outskirts of our cities. Therefore, we should produce easily decomposable wrapping. The best waste is organic as it is a natural fertiliser. We might make drug packaging from plants. It is ecological and won`t harm our environment.

On the other hand, ecological and innovative solutions have some disadvantages. At first, they require the newest technology and might be very expensive. Unfortunately, people don`t want to pay more for the product because of ecological reasons. As a result, it might be hard to find an investor who is so environmentally friendly that he/she would take the risk of failure. In addition, organic packaging may not attract a customer`s attention as it wouldn`t be colourful and eye-pleasing. Due to the price and aesthetic qualities people wouldn`t buy ecological products.

To sum up, we should be environmentally-conscious because the fate of our planet is in our hands. We need to do something about our shrinking planet. In my opinion, we should be open to innovative solutions. If we don`t, we and our children will have no future.

Can a phone save the world?

By Fabian Büttner

Hello everybody,

do you want to save the environment? Yes? There are completely new products on the market! For example a new Power Bank which the world has never seen before! This Power Bank can be charged by riding your bike. Before you start riding your bike you connect the Power Bank with your bike. The solar panels which are on the wheels are responsible for charging the Power Bank. But you don´t ride your bike very often? Then you‘ll have another opportunity to charge your mobile phone.

The Sunergy Case is new on the market as well. This is a phone case with solar panels on the backside. So if the solar panels collect the sun energy, your phone will get charged easily. It costs 60 Euro, but I don´t think that this is too expensive for living environmentally friendly.

In conclusion one can say that both products will appear on the market in the next few months– decide for yourself if you want to live in a better, environmentally friendly way.

What can we do for the environment?

By Yannick Simon

Within the last two decades, many people have come to see the environment as a topic of great importance. Issues like the pollution in the oceans or the use of conventional resources are pressing and the question everybody asks is how can problems be solved? Many scientists are putting their heads together to find solutions.

Therefore the Gymbo in Borbeck has made their own brainstorming to help the environment. As a result many ideas have been created: One of them is called the ``Strandgenerator“. Today‘s buildings are made up of concrete and for building, huge amounts of sands are used. This is a useful resource. However, it is finite.

At the same time, there is plastic waste in the oceans: Can we solve both problems?

The strandgenerator gives you a direct answer because it uses plastic as an alternative to sand. Once you have filled it with plastic waste, the six large blades that spin inside the basin cut the plastic into little pieces. This achievement can now be used for producing concrete. The strandgenerator is an environmentally friendly invention because of its solar panels placed on top.

Another example of an environmentally friendly invention is the ``multi flexible power bank“. This little machine can be connected with a bike and while you ride it, the power bank recharges your devices. There are some other benefits: It is portable, it has six innovative sockets so that each member of  the family can recharge his or her cell phone or many other devices like PS4, IPhone, IPad… and so on.

To sum up the powerbank is a multi flexible machine that charges your devices. Indeed it has only a small effect on the environment. In contrast the strandgenerator uses plastic to help the environment by cutting it into little pieces and using the result as a replacement for sand in concrete. This might be helpful in the near future because then you do two things at once. On the one hand you can build houses out of concrete. At the same time you help the environment by relieving the ocean of trash.