Cell phones could stop deforestation

Instead of leaving your old smartphone in a drawer or having it be recycled, you could help turn it IGNORE INTO an instrument that helps save the rainforests

The cellphones that you donate to the Rainforest Connection could help the environment. These will be modified to listen up to a mile away and recognize the noise of a chainsaw. This will immediately trigger an alert with the exact location of the sounds to help the rangers stop illegal deforestation.

With only minutes of difference, the illegal operation can be stopped thanks to the georeferenced tool and be interrupted before too much damage is caused. According to the creating company, a single modified cellphone can protect up to 300 hectares of endangered forest.The use of satellite images is an excellent tool to determine how much forest has been affected but it only shows the damage after it has been done. On the other hand, this new technology, using old cellphones, will work in real time.

The phones are powered using solar energy and the installation mechanism will eventually be simple enough so that anyone can place them on trees. This methodology will not prevent deforestation but it will help stop the act before too much damage is done all while collecting and recycling used cellphones.

If you wish to help, you can visit Rainforest Connection’s website and can either donate money or your phone to help prevent further forest degradation by illegal activities.

Latin American Post | Laura Iguavita 

Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto