Certainly technology has been a negative force on the Earth's environment, y'know, ever since humans existed. But a new report says that technology will continue being a negative influence on the Earth even as humanity finally wises up to its metaphorical bed-wetting.
The MIT / Boston University study says that greenhouse emissions will increase faster in the next fifty years than they ever have. Indeed, the research tends to show a link in the advancement of technology and the use of more energy.
One would hope that technology would help us become more efficient, but if energy is cheap, then technology simply focuses on reducing other costs by using more energy. Thus, it seems that the only hope we have is for either for governments to legislate technological change, or to hope that gas goes to $6 a gallon...something I'm not particularly looking forward to.
However, we can likely expect both rising energy prices and legislation in the coming months and years. And I have a bit more faith in technology to rise to the challenge in a relatively short time. These kinds of studies don't generally take into account revolutionary shifts...which could easily occur if solar becomes cost-competitive with coal.
Via Environmental Research Web
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by Gman, December 31, 2007
Should we accept that we're living in the modern age and we buy and consume and discard stuff, or should we straight up reject all this technology.
Because if you've read any Internet forums, you have encountered people who would be happiest rejecting modern life (tho' they probably won't say it so bluntly). No cars, no TVs, no mobile phones, no kids' toys with batteries, and probably no computers if possible.
I consider myself a moderate crunchy person, in that I'll try to minimize my harm, but I accept and embrace all the technology around me. I'll replace my PC every 5-10 years, and not sooner. I still drool at all the latest digital cameras, mobile phones, high-efficiency-boilers, etc... but I'll phase my current stuff when it breaks or the new product offers me a significant new advantage.
--
Oh, the reason why greenhouse gases are going to increase probably isn't b/c of "advancement of technology", it's b/c of increased energy use due to more people in the world.
-
- +0
-
-
written by wawa, January 02, 2008
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow geld
wow gold kaufen
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow po
wow or
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow soldi
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow oro
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow geld
wow gold kaufen
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow po
wow or
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow soldi
wow gold
world of warcraft gold
gold wow
wow oro
-
- -2
-
-
written by thehacker (from mypants), January 02, 2008
-
- -1
-
-
written by jungle, January 02, 2008
Legislation is the ONLY way forward.
-
- -1
-
-
written by Samantha, January 21, 2008
-
- -1
-
-
written by penis, April 20, 2008
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenispenis
penispenis
-
- -3
-
-
written by online video poker, July 20, 2008
-
- -2
-
-
written by none of your buisness, November 25, 2008
-
- -2
-
-
written by BFG, December 11, 2008
-
- -2
-
-
written by ronald mcdonald, January 13, 2009
-
- -2
-
-
written by ahugeblackdick, January 13, 2009
-
- -1
-
-
written by Kiren, April 30, 2009
-
- -2
-
-
written by Dar Tamaddon, November 22, 2009
No wait I take the bus at 6am then wait til 5pm to come home -
-much better
-
- -1
-
-
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
DEC 31
"taxi that drives 21 miles empty from town takes me round trip and then..."
View all Comments