Technology & Its Negative Impact On the Planet How Modern Technologies are destroying the Earth By: Vanessa Tang
• Wind & Solar Power • The effects on Toddlers• Prolonged Life • Carbon Dioxide Levels• Education • Impact on the Oceans• Genetically Modified • Effects on Agriculture Food (GMOs) - Genetically Modified Food• Communication capabilities • Deforestation
Prolonging Life• With advancements in technology, doctors and surgeons can now perform life saving procedures such as: - removing tumors; brain, spinal, lung, etc. - kidney dialysis - Lung, kidney, heart, and liver transplants• Cardiovascular surgery (Blood vessels)• Blood pressure & blood sugar kits are available for households• According to Statistics Canada, the average life span has increased from 59 years in the 1920’s to 70 years in 2009• Prolonging life is also a contributing factor to overpopulation (not a pro)
EducationTechnology has impacted education in a number of ways:• Long distance/Online education: A person can now study any where, from one course, to their entire education online• Enables educators and students to contact each other outside of a classroom environment• Students have access to thousands of peer reviewed articles and scholar journals • Allows full-time employed individuals to study something new or upgrade their knowledge while still working full-time
Genetically Modified Foods - ProsGenetically Modified Foods are foods that are biologicallyaltered for human and animal consumption for a number ofdifferent reasons:• Cold & Drought tolerant• Pest, Herbicide & Disease resistant• Adding nutritional value to food that does not naturally contain any• Poplar trees have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from soil and underground water supplies• Pharmaceuticals: R&D on edible medicines/vaccines (modified tomatoes) to ship to countries that cannot properly store certain vaccines & medicines or can not afford the injection procedures
Most of the moderntechnologies created were to reverse or prevent further destruction to our planet or are tools to cure illnesses instead of concentrating on ways to prevent them.
The Negative Effects on Toddlers Even though there are a few positive effects of the use of technology by toddlers, there are several negative effects that most people do not consider such as: • Less human interaction: Toddlers depend on people time to develop the proper emotions and social skills • Toddlers require a hands on approach to learning: Drawing a picture on paint does not teach an infant the artistic skills it would by using crayons and paper • Too much stimulation: Children can easily get overwhelmed • Not enough movement: Children need to jump and climb around, not sitting in front of a screen for hours on end.Positive Effects: Increased hand-eye coordination; teaches cause and effect
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)Carbon Dioxide is a odourless, colourless gas that occursnaturally in Earth`s carbon cycle by the decomposition ofanimals and volcanic eruptions. However after the IndustrialRevolution, the C02 levels in the atmosphere skyrocketed. This isbecause:• The Burning of fossil fuels: - Energy for households and factories to mass produce - Transporting goods instead of shopping locally - Automobiles; in 2011 over 1 billion cars were in production• Carbon Sinks: such as forests and oceans have absorbed CO2 from the atmosphere, however scientists believe these sinks are filling up and unable to absorb the same amount of CO2 as in the past.• CO2 is the main contributor to Global Warming Click on the carbon footprint picture to View Global Warming 101 on YouTube.
CO2’s Impact on the OceansThe oceans are also known as carbon sinks, they absorbat least half of the CO2 that is released into theatmosphere. However, since the Industrial Revolutionand the continuous rise of CO2 emissions, there havebeen many problems caused by the levels of CO2 nowheld within the oceans such as:• Habitat destruction and habitat loss due to: - Rising temperatures from Global Warming - Coral reef depletion *In 2008 there were 405 Dead - Water acidification Zones world wide; compared to 45 in the 1960`s *Click on the sad fishy to watch a YouTube Video on Dead Zones
Aquatic Habitat Destruction & Habitat Loss• Over Fishing: Bottom Trawlers and large fishing boats have generated a 90% loss in our large predatory fish population• Ghost fishing: marine animals, fish and seabirds either consume or get caught in waste dumped from large fishing boats, cruise ships, etc. The waste can be as small as a beer cap, to a 5 mile long fishing net.• Pollution: chemicals from runoff, dumped waste from ships, and acidic levels from absorbing CO2 and warmer temperatures from Global WarmingThe results of these technologies range from the codmoratorium, to a decreased reproduction rate to fishfarms, and so much more…
Technologies Effects on Agriculture• Genetically Modified Foods: There are many ethical issues with certain cultures that believe it is an unnatural way of producing food. There are many risks: - Increase in food allergies - environmental hazards: certain modified crops have created high mortality rates among insects that feed from it• Reduced soil quality from over tilling, no crop rotation and excessive use of insecticides and herbicides.• Zero Tillage: a method of farming in which the use of large scale machinery is minimal, and soil is rarely disturbed – also reduce energy and labour costs *Click on the tractor to read about the Zero Tillage farming practice
DeforestationThe second largest Carbon Sink are forests; they arealso the home to millions of species. Unfortunatelybecause of human activities, forests decrease by 32million acres annually, covering only 31% of theplanets land surface. These human activitiesinclude: - the development of cities and towns - clear cutting for farm and grazing land - the demand for paper and other products80% of recently extinct species is the result of thedestruction of grasslands, forests and rain forests
To Conclude to read the Scientists’There are many new technologies such as Warning tocellphones, laptops, medical technologies that Humanitycan prolong life, and genetically modified foodsthat assist in feeding the hungry, however thereare far too many technologies that are used in anunsustainable manner that are destroying ourplanet. There are too many published reports andwarnings from scientists such as the 1992Scientists Warning to Humanity to not begin toreconsider the choices we have made. If wecontinue to deplete our resources and usetechnologies the way we do, we will with nodoubt destroy our planet.
ReferencesBiello, D. (2008). Oceanic dead zones continue to spread. Retrieved fromhttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=oceanic-dead-zones-spreadDraper, D., Reed, M. (2009). Our environment: a canadian perspective. (4th Edition)Messenger, S. (2010). Rate of forest loss as decreased, but we`re not out of the woodsyet. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/rate-of-forest-loss-has-decreased-but-were-not-out-of-the-woods-yet.htmlNASA. (2012). Global climate change. Retrieved from http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/Overfishing. (2012) Overfishing: a one minute crash course. Retrieved fromhttp://overfishing.org/pages/Overfishing_in_one_minute.php?w=pagesSousanis, J.(2011). World vehicle population tops 1 billion units. Retrieved fromhttp://wardsauto.com/ar/world_vehicle_population_110815Statistics Canada. (2012) Life expectancy at birth, by sex, by province. Retrieved fromhttp://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/health26-eng.htmWhitman, D. (2012) Genetically modified foods; harmful or helpful? Retrieved fromhttp://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php/What To Expect. (2012). Young children and computers: some pros and cons. Retrievedfrom http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/toddler-learning/young-children-and-computers.aspxZero Tillage. (2012) Zero tillage: a greener way for canadian farmers. Retrieved fromhttp://www5.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=21-004-X20050068759&lang=eng