Orbital debris could block all these benefits for centuries and prevent us from developing clean energy sources like space solar power satellites, exploring our Solar System and someday making humanity a multi-planetary civilization capable of surviving true climatic catastrophes.

FORBES: Beware Of Space Junk

From news that Germany met half the country's energy needs with solar power to an Egyptian teenager who built a new quantum space propulsion system, 2012 was a big year for clean tech.

ENGADGET: Inhabitat's Week in Green: biological concrete, flexible solar cells and the top wearable tech of 2012