Technology as a positive force

While pondering this week’s blog prompt, I realized that I was stuck so I decided to do what most people who are stumped do: define the words in the question. Technology is such an integral part of our society but it’s used so easily that it becomes one of those words that people know but cannot properly define. What is technology exactly? What is considered technology? The answers to these questions are important because it helps us understand how our shape our views of technology’s impact in society through our own definition of what constitutes itself as technology. Well, according to Merriam-Webster, technology can be defined (among other ways) as “…the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.” The word practical itself is defined as “… of or concerned with the actual doing or use of something.” Now, this something can be an idea, plan, or method. Going by the stated definition of technology, the iPhone 5 is considered technology but so is a recycling method (not the physical product itself but the idea of it) that details how to remove paper from plastic products, for example.

I believe that technology can ultimately be used as a positive force in the environmental fight. There are so many great things that people are doing with technology that it should not be disregarded in discussions of what we can do to help slow down the deterioration of the environment. We should be encouraging (green) technology rather than condemning it. Just look at how far we’ve come with the computer. The first computer was a massive structure that took up an entire room. It must have taken a lot of energy to power it and it could not even do complex tasks. Contemporary computers can do much more while using less energy.

This does not mean that I do not realize the negative impacts of technology on our environment. Honestly, I have never met anyone who has recycled their old T.V. or used batteries. The truth is that most outdated and/or unwanted technology in America is thrown out on the curb and unfortunately spends its last days in a landfill. However, I do not think that it is the technology that is at fault but rather the mindset behind its creation, use, and subsequent abandonment.  Technology can be a positive force in our lives by making certain chores easier, faster, and even more environmentally friendly (the trend nowadays). The problem lies in our consumerist lifestyle. A great example of this is the reaction to any Apple products. With the release of the iPhone 5, people are throwing away their iPhone 4/4S and lining up for the latest technology. Our desire for the latest and coolest technology coupled with our increasingly shortened attention span means that we demand more and more physical products that use up more resources. In a few years, Apple will come out with a new edition of the iPhone that will replace the current iPhone 5 and satisfy our need for change. People should keep innovating and changing the current technology because the current trends in technology shows us it will lead to a more efficient and environmentally friendly end result. The problem is the attitudes that drive our consumption of technology: is it because we want to be more efficient or is it simply because we want to be the owners of the latest technology?