Nanowerk brings news that the annual technology predictions (PDF) are out from Deloitte, and nanotechnology is looking green to them:
…it is becoming increasingly apparent that nanotechnology could have an important role to play in healing, rather than harming the planet…Nanotechnology is already being used to address several environmental issues: generating clean power, reducing existing power consumption, providing drinkable water, cleaning contaminated land, reducing harmful emissions and enabling long-life portable power.”
But proponents need to communicate with the public:
Companies, research institutes and industry bodies should make a substantial, sustained effort to make nanotechnology more understandable to the layperson. That should help the public feel less threatened by the technology. Part of the dialog should include direct and open responses to concerns about nanotechnology. As the size of impact of nanoscale innovation grows, the list of concerns is likely to expand proportionately. If the industry does not provide evidence and explanations, scaremongers may fill in the gaps.
A longer-term picture of clean manufacturing using advanced nanotechnology can be found in the book Unbounding the Future, free online. A more recent description can be found in the book Nanofuture by J. Storrs Hall. —Christine
