This semester we have talked a lot about the environment and technology’s role in protecting it. We also have explored ethical consumerism and to what extent should we evaluate technology before investing in it. That was also the topic discussed in The New York Times article Tech’s Environmental Impact and What You Can Do About It.
It was very interesting to me that the author, John Schwartz, argued that although technology creates a very large carbon footprint, its benefits outweigh its negative attributes. He breaks it down very simply into what he says is: “All you need is a screen, an internet connection and a browser to see what satellites tell us about the extent of ice loss in Greenland or river levels during spring flood season along the Mississippi River Basin.” He argues that because we have access to technology we can be more knowledgeable about the issues in front of us, but I don’t know how beneficial that actually is to the environment.
Picture this: Tesla has internet search capability but building a Tesla creates a huge carbon footprint. Does the fact that one person, a couple, or a family could search when the environmental issues we’ve created are irreversible change the dangerous direction we are headed. While technology informs, technology also destroys. The suggestion going forward is that we don’t always need new. Getting a refurbished Macbook from Apple is going to be cheaper, reduce Apple’s carbon footprint.