Hi! Are you completely new to the idea of Greentech? Or are you a Greentech enthusiast who simply wants to know more about Greentech and where to find career paths in Greentech? Then you have come to the right place! In this article, we will dive into all that Greentech has to offer!
Definitions
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Greentech as green technology (also green tech): Technology whose use is intended to mitigate or reverse the effects of human activity on the environment.
BuiltIn goes more into depth to describe Greentech as an environmental technology, green technology or cleantech, which utilizes some combination of environmental science, chemistry, environmental monitoring and electronic devices to produce new technology and methods for conserving the natural environment and the resources necessary for continued prosperity on Earth.
Essentially, Greentech sounds pretty amazing. If there is a solution out there to reduce CO2 emissions or pollution, minimize waste or protect the world’s ecosystems, every company or household should adopt Greentech, right? Green technology is all around us. Famous examples of Greentech include energy-saving lights, solar-powered systems, renewable energy sources, electric cars, smart thermostats and so much more! Take a moment to look around where you are right now, can you spot Greentech? Or can you see where Greentech can be implemented? Let me know what examples you see and leave a comment down below!
Fun Fact
There are many historical timestamps where Greentech was apparently used. The oldest recorded example of Greentech dates all the way back to ancient Egypt. Egyptian architecture kept their buildings cool by using passive cooling, a technique now making a comeback in modern design. If you like reading more about this, I would highly recommend visiting this page.
Greentech is recognisable for its principles:
- Efficient use of power
- Reducing waste
- Limiting the use of hazardous materials
- Creating eco-friendly products
- Sustainability
- Promoting tools that reduce resource consumption in indirect ways
- Lowering maintenance costs while improving quality
- Increasing the life-cycle of products
To sum up, companies use science-based technology, biomimicry, ideas and methodologies to solve environmental problems which could benefit communities globally. Greentech companies solve challenges while keeping in mind the 3Ps (People, Planet, Profit). Their sustainable business model enables them to use the generated profit to go right back into sustaining and scaling the business to positively impact the planet. Everything that they do links back to their common goal. Which is to transform societies for the better so that we can thrive and be in harmony with mother nature.
Be aware of Greenwashing
Nowadays, many companies get involved with Greentech and dedicate webpages to describe how their values align with the Sustainable Development Goals. However, be mindful that you do more in-depth research about these companies and don’t fall for greenwashing. In some cases, companies spend more money marketing that they are environmentally friendly than they actually are. In reality, they have created a false brand impression through misleading information. So please be alert! Be mindful of what you believe and who you choose to support.
A distinct way to separate the two kinds of companies is to do research! Greentech companies make a continuous commitment, to be honest, and have communication that educates and inspires people to adopt sustainable systems. These companies lead by example, reducing their own carbon footprint as much as possible and offsetting when necessary. While “fake” Greentech companies may use fake labels created by themselves. Inform yourself and learn the difference between real and fake labels, find out more about this here.
Are you becoming more convinced that a career in Greentech is for you? Great! In total there are about 10,950 companies from 94 countries that fall under the function of Greentech. From that list, we have compiled a list that you can browse through and possibly start applying. How exciting!
Top 10 Greentech companies
Indigo
Indigo strives to always do the right thing. They work alongside growers and buyers, whilst combining natural microbiology with digital technology to change agriculture for the better. They aim to improve grower profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health. Indigo is also committed to being a motivating and healthy place to work at.
Heliogen
Heliogen is a renewable energy technology company that has found a method to replace fossil fuels cost-effectively. They are developing a concentrated solar solution in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) to provide green energy at a low cost.
AppHarvest
AppHarvest’s goal is to “fight the food fight”. Using innovative technology with natural resources and sustainable farming methods, they are able to get more from less. Their controlled environment facilities help them farm smarter, so they can sustainably grow more healthy, delicious foods on a large scale, year-round.
Wunder Capital
Wunder Capital is the #1 solar energy provider for commercial and industrial real estate Wunder is a technology company that develops life-changing software by partnering with leading solar organizations in order to build large-scale solar projects for businesses who are interested. Wunder is doing wonders to mitigate their impacts and share these methods with the world.
Uplight
Uplight develops solutions and technologies in order to create a business model that translates into creating a more sustainable future. They do this by powering communities in an efficient and affordable way so that others can also enjoy sustainable energy. Uplight has also partnered with more than 80 of the world’s leading electric and gas utilities, to provide the best expertise and solutions
Grove Collaborative
Grove Collaborative is driven by sustainability and wants to ensure that we never have to compromise between a clean home and a clean planet. Grove has curated more than 150 household items that match the following criteria: efficacy, non-toxicity, and sustainability. This way people can buy products without worrying if it is going to negatively impact the environment. This encourages people to switch to healthier and more sustainable routines.
Enervee
Enervee is building a bridge that allows people to reduce their own carbon footprint by providing one platform that can be used to find solutions whether you need to shop all the way to find ways to be more energy efficient. This user-friendly platform makes it easy for people to make more conscious decisions.
EnergyHub
EnergyHub’s platform lets consumers turn their smart thermostats, electric cars, and other devices into virtual power plants that keep the grid stable and enable higher penetration of solar and wind power. They work on technology that already provides energy and cost savings to more than a million people.
WeaveGrid
WeaveGrid is devoted to addressing the climate crisis by implementing modern, cloud-native platform architecture and robust systems optimization to tackle these issues. WeaveGrid is riding the electrification wave and reaping the full benefits of smart technology.
Planet
You can’t fix what you can’t see. Planet believes in using space to help life on Earth. Planet design, build and operate a constellation of earth-imaging satellites that deliver a dataset of geospatial imagery used to help solve the world’s most critical problems. Planet is passionate about building a community of diversity, belonging and inclusion.
As you can see, Greentech is all around us. Whether you like to work in finance or food, Greentech companies have an unlimited range of focus. Do you know a cool Greentech company that wasn’t mentioned in the list? Let us know by commenting down below!
Do you also want to know how you can best prepare yourself before applying to Greentech companies? It would be handy to read our other blog here, to get an idea of what questions to ask yourself to narrow down your interest. There are also tips on how to maintain your social media accounts and more!
What are you waiting for? Visit the companies linked above and who knows, maybe you will find your match!
Did you get interested in working in the Greentech industry? Click here and check out all our vacancies.