By Sofia Perez
“It had never gotten old for him, flying. Never gone boring. Every engine start was a new adventure, guiding the spirit of a lovely machine back into life; every takeoff blending his spirit with its own to do what’s never been done in history, to lift away from the ground and fly.” ~ Richard Bach (2009), Hypnotizing Maria
Why Engines Are Relevant to Eco-Friendly Innovation?
When we dream about eco-friendly innovation, oftentimes we also disparagingly dismiss all the innovation that has enabled climate change, biodiversity loss, daunting wealth disparities, and more.
This is a mistake.
Yes, the carbon emissions produced from airplanes, cars, buses, and other modes of transport have caused us many problems.
However, they also solved many problems we had before the Industrial Revolution.
Hear me out.
With the invention of the internal combustion engine, we were able to make travel and transport significantly faster and more efficient.
What did this lead to?
Here are just a few of the effects:
Children who initially lived too remote to attend school now could, thus increasing literacy and empowering all economic classes. Agricultural productivity skyrocketed because instead of relying on human and animal power, we could use tractors and other farm machinery, leading to greater food security and economic growth.
Postal services were significantly faster, enabling quicker communication across long distances. Finally, engine-powered vehicles improved waste collection and disposal systems, facilitating the transportation of fresh produce and medical supplies, enhancing public health and sanitation as a result.
That is a long list of incredibly impactful outcomes, all with a direct link to the same invention.
While now the internal combustion engine has resulted in issues related to climate, waste, pollution, and more, the history of problem-solving and innovation behind it still hold several important lessons for anyone interested in driving change.
Those are the lessons I am going to share with you now.
#1: Efficiency
First stop: efficiency.
This is one of the greatest strengths of the internal combustion engine. If you boil it down, it’s as simple as this: air and fuel go in, an explosion takes place in the cylinders, and power is produced.
In reality though, the efficiency of our modern-day engines took over 100 years to perfect.
The lesson here?
Optimizing existing processes can lead to better resource utilization than implementing something completely new, which is crucial to eco-friendly innovation.
Example from Engine History: The transition from steam engines to internal combustion engines significantly increased efficiency. Steam engines were bulky and less efficient in converting fuel to motion, whereas internal combustion engines offered a more compact and efficient power source.
#2: Problem-Solving Through Iteration
Most of us live in a binary of pure success or absolute failure.
In actual fact, during creative problem-solving, success and failure aren’t mutually exclusive.
This is why it’s important to understand the concept of iteration– testing, adjusting, all while constantly inching toward an optimal solution.
This embrace of trial-and-error can foster resilience and creativity, which are necessary traits to the eco-friendly problem-solver.
Example from Engine History: The development of the jet engine involved numerous iterations and prototypes.
Frank Whittle’s early designs in the 1930s faced multiple challenges, but persistent problem-solving and continuous improvements led to the successful deployment of jet engines during World War II.
#3: Collaboration & Knowledge-Sharing
In a world of politics and competition at every level, this may seem like a naive but obvious lesson- to actually talk, collaborate, and share.
Nevertheless, it must be noted.
Creating platforms for collaboration and open knowledge-sharing can accelerate eco-friendly innovation.
Example from Engine History: The collaboration between Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach led to significant advancements in engine technology.
Their partnership and sharing of knowledge resulted in the development of high-speed internal combustion engines, which revolutionized transportation.
#4: Societal Impact
Last stop: societal impact!
This is frequently the lowest on anyone’s list of priorities, but to truly solve any problem, it is vital to consider how your work impacts a wider community of stakeholders.
Understanding this can guide responsible development and help avoid any further damage to our planet or to other people in society.
For example, the development of renewable energy technologies not only addresses environmental concerns but also has the potential to provide energy access to remote and underserved communities, promoting social equity.
Example from Engine History: The mass production of automobiles powered by internal combustion engines, pioneered by Henry Ford’s assembly line techniques, transformed society by making personal transportation widely accessible.
This had profound effects on urban planning, commerce, and daily life.
The Future: Eco-Friendly Innovation
Now that you have peeked behind the curtain at some of the most valuable insights from over a century of innovation on the internal combustion engine, it’s time to talk about the future.
According to the European Union Joint Research Commission, over 80% of all product-related climate impacts are determined throughout the design stage of a product.
This means that sustainable product design is absolutely crucial to lowering pollution, increasing accessibility to all demographics, cultivating water and energy security, and so on.
We have a responsibility to be stewards to our planet and society, and one of the most impactful ways to do that is through our careers.
By applying these lessons from the intricate history behind the internal combustion engine, not only can you be inspired by those who contributed to such an amazing feat of engineering, but also empowered to apply your creativity and problem-solving to creating eco-friendly solutions.
Thought to Action
- Pursue: Pursue an free interdisciplinary education online to expand your awareness of other subject areas.
- Embrace: Embrace constraints to fuel creativity. Some ways you can do this are by:
- Setting time constraints or deadlines to complete a project.
- Create solutions that work within environmental limitations, such as developing products or systems that are sustainable, energy-efficient, or adaptable to harsh conditions.
- Design for users with specific needs, such as accessibility requirements. This can lead to more inclusive and innovative designs that cater to a broader audience.
- Choose a prompt, theme, intention or idea to commit to as your starting point then base your project off this concept.
- Seek Out: Seek out collaborations with professionals from other disciplines.
- Diversify: Diversify your reading habits. Explore books, journals, and articles from other disciplines.
- Join: Join or create think tanks and innovation labs that focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. These environments are designed to foster creative thinking and problem-solving across various fields.
Sources
Before you dive into the vast ocean of online information, make sure you’re not sailing on a raft of rumors…Check your sources!
Bach, Richard. Hypnotizing Maria. Hampton Roads Publishing, 18 Sept. 2009.
Bowie, Desiree. “What Is an Internal Combustion Engine?” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 18 July 2023, science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/internal-combustion-engine.htm. Accessed 28 July 2024.
Frankel, Andrew. “A Life Well Lived: Tracing 120 Years of the Combustion Engine.” Autocar, Autocar, 15 May 2021, www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/life-well-lived-tracing-120-years-combustion-engine. Accessed 28 July 2024.
“Gasoline Engine – Internal Combustion, Ignition, Efficiency | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2024, www.britannica.com/technology/gasoline-engine/Development-of-gasoline-engines. Accessed 28 July 2024.
“Internal Combustion Engine Basics.” Energy.gov, 2024, www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/internal-combustion-engine-basics. Accessed 28 July 2024.
Loughlin, Bronagh. “Why Is Sustainable Product Design and Innovation Important.” Institute of Sustainability Studies, 25 Sept. 2023, instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/guides/why-is-sustainable-product-design-and-innovation-important/. Accessed 28 July 2024.
“Malevus.” Malevus, 5 Sept. 2022, malevus.com/history-of-engine/#google_vignette. Accessed 28 July 2024.
Rong, Blake Z. “the Evolution of the Combustion Engine.” Popular Mechanics, Popular Mechanics, 5 June 2018, www.popularmechanics.com/cars/car-technology/a19854205/the-evolution-of-the-combustion-engine/. Accessed 28 July 2024.
“Sustainable Product Policy.” EU Science Hub, 2023, joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/scientific-activities-z/sustainable-product-policy_en. Accessed 28 July 2024.
Todd, Benjamin. “This Is Your Most Important Decision.” 80,000 Hours, 24 May 2023, 80000hours.org/make-a-difference-with-your-career/. Accessed 28 July 2024.
What is eco innovation. “5 Benefits of Eco Innovation.” Greenly.earth, 13 Feb. 2024, greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/5-benefits-of-eco-innovation. Accessed 28 July 2024.
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