Field-sized Asteroids, alien invasions and killer robots – all are seen as possible threats to humanity. But right now, are any of them likely? No.

What we should really be worrying about is global warming – a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. The causes? Increased levels of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants due to industrial-scale burning.

As a result, our planet has become warmer and continues to do so – which doesn’t bode too well for the survival of humanity and many other species. Can we turn things around? We can’t reverse what has already happened, but what could be about to come, perhaps. Man-made tech has many answers.

Apple and Google investing in green tech

Corporate players like Apple and Google are inspiring climate change by investing in green tech – technology aimed at making the world a greener place. Such investment increased by almost 17% percent in 2014 to $270 billion, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

In February 2015, tech giant Apple announced a pledge to invest $2 billion in building green data centres in Ireland and Denmark. The centres will use wind power and other green sources to power services such as apps in the App Store, Siri and iMessage and will have the lowest environmental impact of the company’s data centres to date.

Google has also been busy greening things up. Currently, it uses renewable energy to power 35% of its operations. It has been able to meet this target through the 1.7 MW solar panel it installed into its Mountain View campus in 2007. Since then, the panel has been expanded to 1.9 MW, contributing to plans to get up to 100% renewable energy. The company has already made agreements to fund over $2 billion in renewable energy projects.

Space probes and sensors helping monitor pollution rates

It’s easy for countries to say they’re going to reduce their pollution rates, but you can’t believe everything. This is why world-wide pollution monitoring and regulation is so important.

In 2014, Nasa unveiled a prototype space probe capable of measuring emissions from individual cities. It’s proven so successful with scientists that the space organisation has confirmed plans for a more powerful version, the OCO3. When it’s attached to the International Space Station in 2018, it’ll be able to fly over every country in the world, checking their CO2 and methane emissions.

There’s also scope for consumers to monitor pollution, as the EcoSense demonstrates. The latter is a portable sensor capable of reading and alerting you of levels of pollution in the area. Developed out of Bristol Robotic Labs by Altitude Design, it’ll send a push notification to your phone if the levels of gases are dangerous. There’s also an onboard LED system that lights up to show the current state of the air around you – green = good, yellow = moderate and red = bad.

Controlling and tracking pollution at home

Pollution is something humans have created, and it’s no help if you’re not green and energy efficient at home. You’re able to change your ways by simply recycling items such as plastic bottles and by turning the tele off from stand-by when you go to bed.

But it’s easy to forget to do these these types of things. Ecois.me, which has emerged as one of Ukraine’s most innovative tech start-ups, is the perfect solution. Thanks to technology that combines power and spectrum analysis, it can single out any electrical appliances in your home and track their energy efficiency. If it detects a green inefficiency, it’ll provide you with the best ways to turn you around and can even notify you through your smartphone if you’ve, say, left the oven open.

Artificial trees sucking carbon dioxide from the air

While we’re able to cut the risk of further climate change and pollution, the fact remains that most of the damage is already done. Our industrious past has already seen to the air being filled with poisonous CO2 gas.

That said, there is hope. The Earth Institute at Columbia University has developed an artificial tree prototype capable of sucking one tonne of carbon dioxide from the air a day. Klaus Lackner, the guy behind this phenomenal creation, envisages constructing forests filled with thousands of them to clean up the skies.