Will Technology Destroy our Planet?

1. WILL TECHNOLOGY
DESTROY THE PLANET?
Thomas Johnston
Social Impact of Technology – GNED 1002
Professor Emily Brett
April 11, 2013

2. Examples of technologies causing harm:
 hydro dams
 larger fishing fleets
 coal mining
 cars
 chemicals and pesticides
 urban development
 medical advances
 computers and the internet

3. GOOD: developed to generate clean energy
BAD: waterways have been rerouted for
development of dams causing increased
risk of landslides and earthquakes. Reservoirs sit on top of fault
line causing increase in pressure under the reservoir and within
the rocks.

4.  larger fishing fleets allow for more
storage and more successful fishing excursions
 modern day fishing fleets are about 2 ½ times bigger than
oceans can support
fleets are like floating factories equipped with sonar and
extremely large nets
 estimated fish population will by 80%
within 10 to 15 years

5. Coal is easily combustible!
Coal is easily found!
Coal is inexpensive!
HOWEVER!!!
Two most destructive forms of mining are:
1. MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL – mountain peak is shaved off to scoop out the coal
from the top
2. STRIP MINING – layers of the face of mountain are scraped to extract the coal
Did you know??? In West Virginia alone, 300,000 acres of forest has been destroyed
by mining.

6. CARS
• Cars have allowed people to interact more easily in social and
professional environments
BUT CAUSES:
 gas emissions and damage to the ozone layer
 medical problems mainly in the respiratory system due to the
combustion of fossil fuels
 oil for car maintenance means drilling for oil which uses up
space and dangerous consequences to marine and land
species if there is an accident

7. PROS CONS
• economically good business • farming responsible for 70% of
• controls damage to crops and pollution in waterways
forests • increases nitrogen levels and
• prevents diseases such as: decreases oxygen in water supply
– malaria • endangers bird and insect
– yellow fever populations
– black plague • contributes to global warming

8. ADVANCES IN MEDICINE ALLOWS FOR
LONGER LIFE SPANS
=
OVERPOPULTATION!!!
More people = more waste
= more demand for food
= more production of consumer goods
= more EVERYTHING!!!
FACT! Everything that contributes to global warming will increase with
population growth.

9. Increase in housing and business buildings
necessary to keep up with population growth
and demand for more products which is good
for the economy.
MAJOR PROBLEM: necessity of clearing land and deforestation
Less trees = less absorption of greenhouse gases
Less trees interrupts water cycle increase
of temperatures increase in global warming

11. According to Ben Rimes, “technology isn’t going
to destroy our future, it’s just destroying the
past, or rather the notion of what used to be
good teaching.”
What will that mean? A decrease in educational
levels? People becoming lazier? Society
becoming dissociated with reality?

12. The technologies discussed is a sample of what can
cause the eventual destruction of our planet.
Ultimately, it is ourselves who we should be most
concerned about. We should be able to control
the future of this planet by keeping people
informed, properly educated and by staying
active. We can all make a difference in the well-
being of our planet and its environment.

13. REFERENCES:
Blogster. (2012, January 30). Three ways technology is destroying the world.
Retrieved from www. blogster.com/childeharold/three-ways-technology-is-
destroying-the-world
Hub Pages. (2012, November 29). How technology will destroy the world.
Retrieved from www.iammonk.hubpages.com/hub/How-technology-will-
destroy-the-world
Schwarzfeld, Matt. (n.d.). Top 10 ways man is destroying the environment.
Retrieved from www.dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/10-ways-
man-destroying-environment.htm
The Tech Savvy Educator. (2010, September 14). How technology will destroy our
future. Retrieved from www.techsavvyed.net/archives/671
Yarow, Jay. (2011, May 8). Technology may be destroying your life. Retrieved from
www.gawker.com/5799579/technology-may-be-destroying-your-life