5 cool inventions that could save the planet

(CNN)You've heard about the impact that our technology-driven population is having on the planet -- from cars, to energy factories, to the over-consumption of the earth's resources.

It's causing a lot of problems.
Yet, inventors are also using this technology to improve lives across the planet. Here are a few of their creations (or soon-to-be ones):
1. A high-tech sieve that makes the ocean drinkable
Yes, you can already turn the ocean into drinkable water through existing, industrial-scale desalination plants.
But these plants are often costly and can damage the environment: They use large amounts of energy, produce greenhouse gases and can harm marine life.
Graphene sieve could make seawater drinkable
Graphene sieve could make seawater drinkable
So, researchers in the UK have developed a sieve made out of graphene that may be able to filter out salt using less energy.
That could help provide safe, clean, drinkable water -- which is a rare resource in many countries.
In fact, the United Nations predicts that in less than a decade, 14% of people around the world will not have access to sufficient water resources where they live

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