Teen Inventors Create Algae-Powered Car Filter to Cut Emissions

Two high school seniors are making serious waves in the fight against Climate change. Rohan Kapoor and Jack Reichert, both just 18 years old and students at Unionville High School, have developed a clever new invention that could help reduce carbon emissions from everyday vehicles—using algae.

Inspired by the research of MIT professor Isaac Berzin, who explored the use of algae to capture carbon dioxide, the students designed a 3D-printed filter called the GoGreen. This compact device attaches directly to a car’s exhaust pipe and uses a chamber filled with algae. When exposed to light, the algae perform photosynthesis, absorbing CO2 from the car’s emissions. According to Kapoor and Reichert, this process cuts carbon dioxide output by an impressive 74.25%.

Their innovation earned them top honors at the 2023 Changemaker Challenge, a competition that celebrates young leaders creating solutions for a better world. Their next goal? To collaborate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to explore real-world implementation of their filters on a larger scale.

The technology is still in its early stages, but the potential is huge—especially as transport remains one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases. What makes their solution even more compelling is its simplicity: it doesn’t require complex engine upgrades or electric overhauls, just a smart, green attachment powered by one of nature’s oldest organisms.

It’s inspiring to see young people leading the charge with climate-friendly innovation. Imagine if every car on the road had a little algae army cleaning up behind it.

If we want to breathe cleaner air and protect future generations, we need to Support solutions like this—and shift to greener transport choices altogether. Ditch meat-heavy diets, go vegan, drive less, and back youth-led climate tech.

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