World Environment Day is an annual international event, celebrated on June 5th, that encourages global awareness and action to protect the environment. Organized by the United Nations Environment Programme, it serves as a platform for raising public awareness about pressing environmental issues and promoting solutions.
In honor of World Environment Day, let’s take a quick look at some of the patents that could help address environmental issues and promote sustainability.
Combating Plastic Pollution: US12285788B2, to some degree, aligns with this year’s World Environment Day theme of collective action to tackle plastic pollution. This US publication by the Reed Institute describes bacterial compositions, including Pseudomonads and/or Bacillus species, for degrading a polymer-containing substrate. End products from the process may include bacterial biomass and carbon dioxide.
Zero-Emission Fuel Alternatives: With air quality becoming an increasing cause of concern in urban and rural areas across the globe, the transition to green fuel for mobility solutions is becoming increasingly imminent. US20240304836A1 describes Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. This environmentally friendly power source discharges only pure water as emissions. Several automakers like Toyota, Honda, BMW, Volvo, and General Motors are working on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
Conservation of Resources: In this age of artificial intelligence, maximizing resource utilization could significantly reduce environmental impact and waste. Smart grids emerged in the early 2000s and are evolving. Integration of deep learning techniques has improved energy demand forecasting, power flow control, detection, and resolution of issues. The latest innovations in smart grid technology facilitate consumer participation in grid operations via smart meters, demand response programs, and peer-to-peer energy trading. US20240204527A1 discloses a control system configured to estimate the renewable energy generation of a local renewable energy system based on crowd-sourced and weather information. This invention from Ford integrates a vehicle-to-home power supply with a local renewable energy system.
Circular Economy: Investment trends in green buildings and sustainable living spaces are gaining momentum, as environmental awareness increases and regulations become more stringent. An integrated urban and rural ecological service complex disclosed in CN213477836U integrates green, environment-friendly, and ecological technical systems such as a sewage treatment system, a rainwater purification and recycling system, and a solar power generation utilization system. This patent, owned by China Architecture Design and Research Group, realizes the cyclic and sequential utilization of energy and resources, thereby reducing the consumption of urban and rural resources.
Disaster Prediction Technology: The frequency and magnitude of forest fires worldwide have increased in recent years, owing to factors such as global warming and erratic climate patterns. Information and tracking techniques could help communities and authorities prepare for and respond to forest fires. Various embodiments in US20220383102A1 analyze the application of satellite imaging and deep learning in predicting the ignition and spread of major wildfires. This patent application from Our Kettle Inc. describes a model that simulates wildfire spread based on weather parameters and location-specific wildfire potentials calibrated by a swarm neural network system. Fig. 1D illustrates the correlation between monthly wildfire frequency and FIG. 1F illustrates the probability of wildfire ignition for some discretized grids in a specific month.
Inventions that encourage people to make environment-friendly choices are listed below.
US20250033851A1 introduces single-use packaging that could hold a variety of liquids and is made of an organic membrane comprising seaweed extracts or cellulose polymers. The biodegradable membrane could potentially replace plastic packaging of such liquid consumer products.
CN118448493A presents a transparent crystalline silicon solar cell that can be used on building windows, car skylights/windows, glass greenhouses, display device screens, and more. This would eliminate the need to build rooftops or exterior areas for the installation of solar panels.
Reimagine, Rewild, a mobile application from Accenture, helps a user to visualize what their local environment would look like if nature were enabled to thrive. The application also serves as an educational platform, helping people learn about the benefits of rewilding for nature and biodiversity, as well as connecting them to rewilding opportunities near them.
Innovation continues to play a key role in addressing today’s environmental challenges—from climate change to pollution and biodiversity loss. The steady rise in green patent filings over the past decade reflects growing momentum toward sustainable solutions. This World Environment Day, June 5, 2025, is a moment to recognize the progress made and the opportunities ahead. By supporting eco-friendly innovation and sustainable practices, we can help build a healthier, more resilient future.
