Is This Nineteen-Year-Old's Auto Emissions Filter a Game Changer?

I have always been curious about the world around me. I took a passionate interest in science at a very young age. When I was 12, I began to do lab research on bio-fuels, bioreactors, and some general experiments to test laws of physics. At that time, my passion gravitated towards energy and environmental technologies. In my senior year of high school, I created a filter for car exhaust fumes, and entered a science fair with a prototype. Now, I'm 19 and trying to bring light to one of the biggest problems that faces our generation: global warming.

As a junior at Vanderbilt University studying Mechanical Engineering & Economics, I'm constantly testing and rendering my design with my team, Ecoviate: 18 year old Jonny Cohen, and 20 year olds, Zac Evans and Lauren Harrison. We want people to realize that as technologies advance, there has only been a rise in emissions and subsequently the accumulation of greenhouse gases. We also want people to know that they don’t have to spend a lot of money to lower their carbon footprints.

At the same time, in such an advanced world, we have to stay connected and be able to travel. When faced with a problem, it is better to tackle that problem right on than try ignoring it and passively dealing with it. Rather than advocating for no cars, we want to keep people's routines intact, with some slight changes that can go a long way. The concept of our carbon dioxide filtration system is disposable in nature, but will have a sustainable impact on the environment. Just as you replace your air filter every once in a while, you would replace our CO2ube.

We are using Kickstarter as a method to get the CO2ube technology out to the market, establish an audience, and eventually get our other products into the hands of people around the world. If you'd like to be a part of it, check out our campaign. As for me, outside of all this science, I eventually have to get to my homework after sometimes going to class.

Have you measured your carbon footprint yet? Add it to your To-Do list.

This project is part of GOOD's series Push for Good—our guide to crowdfunding creative progress.