Innovation: A Guide to the Literature, Research Paper Example

Introduction

An Innovation is a gadget or product that makes work more accessible and is considered new in the market by being different from other products. Global heatwaves continue to erupt in different parts of the world, like the USA and the UK, sparking wildfires that pollute the air (Fagerberg, 2004). The fires and air pollution results are approximately 33,000 deaths per year, and many other people are affected. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) partners with technological and innovation firms to sustain the environment and curb air, water, and soil pollution (Kline and Rosenberg, 2010). So can technology and innovation help radically improve environmental conditions by reducing the high mortality rate caused by environmental contamination, which is also caused by poisonous chemicals? A particular organization called Ocean Cleanup, based in the Netherlands has consistently cleaned out waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Ocean Cleanup has combined engineering and research to determine how to reduce waste from the Great Pacific. Ocean Cleanup has teamed up with other companies to monitor plastic waste from space using satellites as one of their most significant innovations. The Ocean Cleanup is continuously developing new ways to help clean the oceans and waterways that lead to reduced water pollution (van Giessen and Wierman, 2020). Oil spills, plastic waste, and the release of poisonous gases into water and air release disease-causing microorganisms that kill not only people but also marine life. Innovation creates the preservation of natural resources that need to be met soon to maintain the natural balance. In Canada, water pollution is rising with increased global warming that has reduced the amount of water in reservoirs; industrial chemicals and waste products are dumped in big water bodies, and the release of untreated sewage, among many others.

Framing

In 2019 alone, the treatment of polluted water cost Canada $ 969 million, which includes the cost of innovation. This number is deemed higher over the years if proper infrastructure is not built. European policies, which over time have continuously underfunded water-related challenges, have widened the socio-economic gap while at the same time risking the lives of many. Canada’s growing plastic problem has continued to promote environmental degradation as Canada only recycles 11% of its plastic, leaving the rest to be mostly dumped in water resources. The plastic menace has become a global pandemic, slowly sucking the life out of our oceans. Before the 1950s, plastics were not invented, and environmental pollution was under control. However, plastic has continually been used with increased demand and technological advancement of various products. However, the Canadian government has taken measures to curb plastic and partnered with organizations like UNEP (Cordier, and Uehara, 2019).

Subjective judgments play a significant role in water preservation. An organization like Ocean Cleanup strives to make the world’s environment better and seek global recognition by doing so and working with international organizations like the UN. Ocean Cleanup aims to clean up plastics and other harmful substances dumped in the ocean. Using satellites, Ocean Cleanup can keep track of debris left in the oceans and formulate strategies to clean them (Belden et al., 2021).

Using policy framing, many organizations can now measure their work according to its importance and impact on the environment and society. The companies can also compete with each other on who has the most impact on the environment and community, and it can spark innovation of more ad advanced technology that can help maintain the environment and reduce pollution. For example, Ocean Cleanup must have come up in the Netherlands since Netherlands’ main activity is farming. With oceanic pollution, the Netherlands is also affected economically and socially. Therefore, Ocean Cleanup has become a significant company merging innovation and engineering to curb pollution, and other companies are bound to follow suit (Rochman, 2016).

Current Canadian Situation

Plastics are used for various purposes, and their uses continue to multiply over the years. However, even if they are helpful, plastics pose more environmental risks and offset the balance in marine ecosystems. Canada continues to be at a high risk of plastic pollution because it has yet to embrace the art of recycling since they only recycle approximately 11% of its plastic. Canada should learn from countries like the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden, and Austria, who called upon the EU Environment Ministers and implemented policies to oversee a ban on plastics in Personal care products.

In 2015, Canada’s government also started to act on the growing plastic pollution menace and suggested making Microbeads listed in the toxic substances list under the 1999 Environment Protect Act. Plastic does not decay at the same rate as organic matter, and it takes a long time for the plastic to be broken down into smaller particles. These particles then concentrate on the soil and the waters and could quickly kill marine life by building up and cutting normal water flow in rivers, for example.

River Ottawa, which is Canada’s pride, stretches to approximately 1271km west of Northern Quebec and empties into a variety of lakes, including the lake of two mountains and the St. Lawrence river. The Ottawa river has a catchment area larger than England and is home to huge wetlands and boreal forests. Unfortunately, many microplastics have been dumped in river Ottawa and its environs tampering with the marine life and water supply. If River Ottawa’s water, which supplies water to many places in Canada, is contaminated, many people risk illness or even death (Oliver, 1973).

Plastic not only has adverse effects on animals but also on people. Though statistics are still being conducted to prove various ways plastics affect humans, some studies show that the radiation from plastics could cause cancerous cells to develop or mutate. Vinyl Chloride, a block of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), the most popular form of used plastic, from raincoats to pipes, is also the form of plastic retrieved from rivers, lakes, and water sources. Burning plastic, popularly known as incineration, has been supported by some members but has adverse effects (Vermaire et al.,2017).

Theory and Evidence

Challenges deemed complex require attention from the administrative and policy-making sectors. Policy instruments need to be formulated and merged with policy mixes, which in turn need to be designed strategically to avoid clashes. The policy frame in Canada involves the federal government and how it has policies governing waters in its boundaries, including water bodies that the United States shares. The Canadian Federal government also has procedures to control navigation, public administration, federal lands, and health and environmental issues. Over 20 departments and related agencies have been assigned attributes concerning fresh water. The water legislation concerned with climate change and environmental issues include the Department of the ecological Act, the International River Improvements Act, and the Canada Water Act. There are many more, including the Dominion Water Power Act and Canada Shipping Act, all of which ensure freshwater bodies are preserved. Each Act has laid out policies to which they should adhere. For example, The Canada Water Act section 38 dictates that all operations foreseen by the Act should be presented in parliament before the end of each fiscal year to monitor developments. Water regulations also exist in Canada, which gives power to the Minister for them to Act. For example, the water quality regulations seek to answer various questions like “where do substances end up?’ and have rules on water pollution. In the case of plastic waste being dumped in oceans and rivers, water regulations are responsible for implementing policies that hold industries, companies, and individuals accountable for dumping plastic waste in a water body.

The Canada Water Act, passed in 1970, aimed to ensure that water bodies were protected from waste products. The federal water policy is also a policy instrument initiated for a number of reasons, including To promote the efficient use of water, to continue promoting the healthy use of fresh water with the social, economic, and environmental benefits for future generations in mind, and most importantly, to promote the quality of the water resource (Ming-Ko, 2001). Organizations like Ocean Cleanup are at the forefront of leading the fight against water pollution. Canada should also create an innovation organization that will help eradicate plastics from the water bodies and innovation companies that can innovate new ways of using plastic or ways in which plastic can be broken down completely. Incineration, which is the burning of plastics, is a way that many organizations support, but the smoke released from the plastics contaminates the air. Carbons released from industrial stations are the leading cause of global warming; therefore, incineration is not a solution.

Possible Options

Management of waste Is vital in maintaining a sustainable future. Annually, an estimated 8 tons of trash makes its way in the world’s oceans, worsening the situation. June 8 is world ocean day, and efforts are being made to maintain the waters of the earth that are important to the livelihood of every living thing on the planet. After seeing the effects of water pollution, Canada, the country with the longest coastline, is at the forefront of fighting water pollution. In 2018, under its G7 presidency, Canada promoted the Oceans Plastic Charter (Forbes and Hodges, 1971). The charter focuses on eliminating the dumping of plastic waste in oceans and healing the much-damaged ecosystems. In May 2020, many other government systems and organizations adopted the alliance in their records of managing, production, and usage of plastic products. Canada has also made considerable efforts to sponsor developing countries not to be left behind in the fight against water pollution. Canada has set aside over $ 71 million for the same (Morley, 1972).

An international commitment that Canada has indulged in could see a significant change in the water pollution problem. The Convection of Prevention from Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is one of the partners that joined hands with Canada. Others include the Basel Convention, which focuses on the prevention of hazardous wastes in the oceans, and the London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes. Canada also participates in the Global Gear initiative, which focuses on finding and retrieving lost fish gear. Such gears could suffocate some fish if they mistakenly get tangled in them and it is such a great Initiative that other nations should employ.

Conclusion

Innovation is essential in any sector. Innovation and technology have increasingly produced some of the best products used in the world today. Focusing on environmental conservation, plastic waste has continuously been a menace in water pollution. Hazardous waste, chemicals, and plastics continue to find their way into water bodies, becoming a global concern. Before the 1950s, plastic production was not invented, and environmental conditions were under control. Since plastic invention, demand for the same has risen, with many other innovations streaming. PVCs are the most used form of plastics, and there are the ones that rea most retrieved from rivers. Ocean Cleanup is an organization based in the Netherlands whose main objective is cleaning out waste and plastics from oceans. Ocean Cleanup combines engineering and innovation in monitoring debris from space and has improved technology to monitor water pollution from different arts. Canada, which has the most extensive coastline, has partnered with many international organizations to help reduce pollution in its coastline and waters within its borders.

References

Fagerberg, J., 2004. Innovation: A guide to the literature.

Kline, S.J. and Rosenberg, N., 2010. An overview of innovation. Studies on science and the innovation process: Selected works of Nathan Rosenberg, pp.173-203.

van Giezen, A. and Wiegmans, B., 2020. Spoilt-Ocean Cleanup: An economic evaluation of alternative logistics chains to accommodate plastic waste recycling. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 5, p.100115.

Belden, E.R., Kazantzis, N.K., Reddy, C.M., Kite-Powell, H., Timko, M.T., Italiani, E. and Herschbach, D.R., 2021. Thermodynamic feasibility of shipboard conversion of marine plastics to blue diesel for self-powered ocean cleanup. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(46), p.e2107250118.

Cordier, M. and Uehara, T., 2019. How much innovation is needed to protect the ocean from plastic contamination? Science of the total environment, 670, pp.789-799.

Rochman, C.M., 2016. Strategies for reducing ocean plastic debris should be diverse and guided by science—Environmental Research Letters, 11(4), p.041001.

Oliver, B.G., 1973. Heavy metal levels of Ottawa and Rideau River sediments. Environmental Science & Technology, 7(2), pp.135-137.

Vermine, J.C., Pomeroy, C., Herczegh, S.M., Haggart, O. and Murphy, M., 2017. Microplastic abundance and distribution in the open water and sediment of the Ottawa River, Canada, and its tributaries. Facets, 2(1), pp.301-314.

Ming-Ko, W., 2001. Water in Canada, water for Canada. Canadian Geographer, 45(1), p.85.

Forbes, F.J. and Hodges, R.C., 1971. NEW APPROACHES TO COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING IN CANADA 1. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 7(5), pp.1059-1070.

Morley, C.G., 1972. Legal Developments in Canadian Water Management. W. Ontario L. Rev., 11, p.139.