Walk it ON.

There is always talk about “what’s next” or”what are they going to come out with next?” “They”, are the engineers and developers that are responsible for the innovations that determine how we interact not only with one another but with our environment as well.

That being said, there has a been a rising concern over emissions in our atmosphere as a product of the energy needed to be consumed to make our socio-economic world turn. The only answer “they” have been able to come up with is creating renewable energies that don’t require fossil fuels and rely on natural Earthly occurrences such as wind and solar radiation to generate electricty. However, mainstream renewable energies such as Solar, Hydro, and Wind power are often considered to be too expensive for the relatively small amount of energy produced by these methods. Most solar powered operating systems function between a 10%-15% efficiency rate, meaning only 10%-15% of the sun’s energy on the brightest day can be used. And keep in mind, the sun isn’t up or always out during the average person’s 17 hours of awake time.(CNN)But there’s hope:Piezoelectricity.

It’s by no means a new technology, but to most it remains as an unknown. In terms of applicable renewable energies, this one may arguably take the cake. It’s sole source of creating electricity is by means of compressing and expanding solid materials like crystals, bones, some proteins, and DNA. In 2007, Dutch club scene innovators developed a “Sustainable Dance Floor” that literally “captures the energy of dancing” by converting the movements into electricity. That electricity is then used to create an interactive experience using LED’s and other audio-visual effects inside the club. It’s essentially using what the people went there to do – dance – to power over 60% of the club.

“By showcasing pioneering and green solutions through these engaging platform SDC™ wants to inspire a generation of people to lead a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. The fun of dancing and delivering power to you own environment is now being demonstrated around the world.”

Just recently the city of Toulouse in France has introduced pedestrian powered street lighting that, similar to SDC, captures the energy created by footsteps during the day and stores it to be used for street lighting in the evening. The public’s response to “Pedestrian Power” is said to have been nothing but supportive being viewed as a , “practical innovation that responds to the needs of the population.

Now, where else might this kind of technology be most beneficial? Grocery store entrances, malls, Amusement parks- basically anywhere where with high foot traffic. Traditional clean energies, such as solar and wind energy, require engineering rare earth metals to rely on natural resources such as the sun and wind to create electricity. As you already know these types of technologies in their present day form render a fairly inefficient amount of output for the amount of input required to manufacture them. Piezoelectricity,though, especially when considered in reference to the Earth’s population issue, could be much more fundamentally practical when the “potential” for generating electricity is taken into account. Imagine Time Square, a mecca for neon lights and high foot traffic, being powered solely by people walking. Piezoelectricity is by no means a cheap renewable energy source. But realistically there are no cheap renewable energies that could be applicable on such a large and consistent scale.

With the exponential release of new and newer technology everyday, it’s easy to become disconnected from the source of the things that people view as essential for global socio-economic progress. Piezoelectricity is chance for people to give back to the grid instead of simply “plugging it in” and paying the bill at the end of the month. Google CEO Eric Schmidt told an audience last year that, “every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.” So spread it.