Technology and the environment play an integral role in each other’s existence. The environment influences technology. People are affected by technology. The question is, how technology and the environment affect each other and how they will continue to affect each other in the future.
Technology and the environment cannot be separated. Both affect each other and each must be maintained in order for the other to be successful. People need to be able to use technology to their advantage, this will allow them to progress and prosper. In order for technology to be successful there must be technological advancements that benefit society as a whole. A harmonious relationship between technology and the environment is essential in maintaining a technological society.
Technology and the environment complement each other. They work together in order for technology to thrive. Humans can not survive without the earth. It provides food, air, and shelter. All of these are provided through various forms of environmental quality.
Pollution affects the environment negatively. Industrialization and increasing levels of population have led to an increase in pollution due to the increased use of technology in every day life. The pollutants produced during the process of technological advances can pollute the environment permanently if not removed. This is one of the reasons environmental history has become so important in understanding the impact of technology on the environment today.
Global warming is another possible effect of technology and the environment. A major cause of global warming is carbon emissions. Carbon emissions are the result of a technological advance such as the combustion engine. Other forms of pollution that can be attributed to technology include nitrogen oxide from the burning of fossil fuels, and methane and chlorofluorocarbons from the manufacture of refrigerators and gas bottles. Automobile emissions rank high in this category, although there are efforts being made by automobile producers to reduce this problem.
Another effect of technology on the environment comes through the creation of environment plans or strategies. The objectives of an environment plan for human sustainability are many. One of these objectives is to reduce the rate at which new sites for technological advancements are being developed. This objective also supports the creation of renewable land use. In addition, the reduction of the generation of harmful greenhouse gases and the encouragement of a sustainable development of the land use economy support this objective.
One way to achieve sustainable development of the environment is through technology implementation. There are many programs and projects supported by the environment plan for sustainable development. These projects involve the use of technology in the areas of waste water management, community forestry, and carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Through technology implementation, environmental problems can be addressed. It also helps to create a cleaner earth.
Today’s world faces a variety of environmental problems. Many of these problems face the poor in the developing world, those who live in rural regions, and those with little access to electricity or clean water. It is true that technology has helped to relieve these problems in some cases. However, the type of technology used is not limited to clean energy, water purification, and improved forestry practices. There are more environmental benefits to incorporating technology into society as it pertains to technology and the environment.
Environmental advocates applaud the increased use of clean energy, water conservation, and technology implementation. They claim that technologies can and should be developed to help with the environmental problems that face society today. While technology may not solve all environmental problems, technologies developed specifically to combat specific environmental issues such as air pollution, water pollution, and pesticides can potentially save the environment.
As indicated earlier, the environment has been affected by technology since the dawn of man. One can trace the impact technology had on the environment back to the Stone Age. Technology has continued to impact the environment in new ways as well. Technological developments in areas such as telecommunications have created new environmental implications. A telephone network is an enormous amount of electricity generated over a very long period of time. The energy produced by a phone network has implications for the environment that go beyond the impact it has on the individual who owns the equipment.
Technological change and its environmental impacts must be considered in today’s society. The key to a sound environmental policy is to recognize and determine the sources of technological change, and the societal responses to those changes. It is essential that the key questions are asked, and adequate research done to evaluate the impact of technological progress on the environment.
Effective environmental policy requires flexibility and a willingness to work closely with citizens, local governments, and nongovernmental organisations to build and manage an environmental policy that advances the goals of environmental protection while protecting the environment and the sources of natural resources.
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