Technology & Environmental Conservation

I feel my perspective about technology is similar to the beginning of the semester because I recognized that technology has both negative and positive aspects.  However, after taking Info 3.0 I feel like I am more in touch with some of the technological aspects of life and also slightly in awe by the scope of technology use.  I never really sat down to seriously think about and analyze the way technology is being utilized in practically every field of study, which is evident by our many different blog topics.

 I found the discussions on the social aspects of technology really interesting.  Some of the negative impacts of technology would be research discoveries of low self-esteem or loneliness associated with the excessive use of using the internet.   Also, conducting my own project on the use of mobile technology in public settings was really interesting.  It’s weird to think about what people did while waiting for the bus when there weren’t cellphones or iPods to make you look and feel less awkward.

 A huge topic we discussed that has negative aspects associated with technology, and is definitely a topic I will think about while using technology, is the issue of privacy and security.  I was aware that the internet can be a shady place, but the amount of different scams that can be created is just crazy.  For example, we talked about hackers completely copying a popular website in order to get your username and password.  I actually also always think about thieves placing that credit card imprinting contraption to copy your credit card number in the card swipe every time I go to the gas station. While I don’t think I knew specifically that people had the ability to tap into someone’s Bluetooth, I usually just assume the worst when it comes to privacy.  I am aware that wireless can be hacked into so others having the ability to tap into Bluetooth didn’t really surprise me.

I also find myself judging every photograph I see in news material and even on Facebook to see if the rule of thirds is being used.  This is any area I think technology can have a positive influence with; the sharing of information via the news.  For example, when we had the journalists from the Middle East come visit us, even though some countries are banned from investigating and reporting on certain topics, information on these locally banned topics are able to be learned from other countries from across the world that don’t have such restrictions.  And this information is just a click away and can be uploaded very quickly.

The increasing technology use in the classroom was another aspect of technology that I didn’t seriously think about.  I enjoyed this class as we used Wimba and laptops in the classroom. Plus, the online class was really nice.  This class just really pushed the limits of not only the amount of technology I used, but how I used it.  For example, I’ve had an iPod Touch for a long time and I never knew there was a really easy app you can use to record audio.  I never really realized the wide variety of actually useful applications there are for iPods.

For those who didn’t take this class, I would just say to be aware that gaining information with technology has both a good side and a bad side.  So if they’re researching online for a paper, they should become familiar with what a legitimate source and a poor source looks like.  When using mobile devices and other technology they should know security is key.  Use passwords and keep them safe.  When you know how to safely surf the internet you can discover and research useful possibilities for using technology such as learning about new applications.

Also, I found this really cool "Nature VS. Technology" picture online that I'm sharing just for fun because I thought it was interesting.

Improvement in medical technology saves more lives than ever before and facilitates a strong growth in the world population.  With a higher world population, there is a higher demand for energy that fuels technologies. Fossil Fuels are becoming a rapidly decreasing resource because of the technology of vehicles and many others that consume gas or electricity.  To improve environmental conservation the role of technology must be to address and help create alternative and sustainable energy sources.

                Sustainable energy sources can be divided into either those that create energy from biological or chemical reactions such as ethanol production from corn or those that create energy from natural occurrences in nature such as wind power, solar power, geothermal power, and hydro power.  These are all possible technological advances that can be improved on in the future.  As of right now, however, the viability of some of these is less than others because the technological progresses of them have not reached a widespread and advanced point.  Also, some of these are limited based on the amount of natural availability.  With the current level of technology certain alternative methods of obtaining energy are not that viable and will only serve to provide energy to certain patches of energy-seeking areas instead of whole, large areas.

                One of the possibilities for alternative energy in the nearest future would be technology contributing to nuclear energy.  Nuclear power has always been a terrifying concept to the general public and this is why nuclear power alternatives often don’t receive much funding for research.   The only true concerns for nuclear power would be the safe elimination of waste and cost for construction and maintenance.  Other countries such as France can vouch that nuclear power is a good short-term solution for energy needs as we develop technology for other sustainable methods.  France has almost eighty percent of their power generated by nuclear energy and they’ve reduced their carbon footprint as well as their consumption of depleting resources such as oil and gas.  With improving technology, more stable and safe nuclear power plants will be able to be built and a safer way of disposing of waste will be developed.  This eases the issues with nuclear power and nuclear energy can be used while technology looks toward even more alternative energy sources.

                As of right now, energy is often produced in large central areas.  This means that energy must travel long distances to reach its destination.  Energy distribution is not very efficient and undergoes losses when it has to cross multiple grids to get to a house.  Smaller, more dispersed energy facilities are what would be best for conserving energy.  At these smaller facilities informative technology such as near-real time sensors coupled with digital control systems will monitor and control these facilities and help make them more efficient in energy production.

                One of the key areas that technology can certainly help in is public awareness.  The public are a truly strong force that can make or break the fruition of certain environmental technologies.  Improving the awareness for the public’s need to reduce energy consumption with the calculation of carbon footprints, stressing the importance of environmental conservation and protection, and urging companies as well as individual to choose greener practices are all contributions to awareness that have a positive result on the environment.  The technologies of radio, TV, and mostly the internet can help achieve the spread of awareness.

                There are software programs that can help small business and even average folk at home calculate their carbon footprint.  By using this technology many business and people alike will become motivated to reduce their emissions and consume energy more wisely in order to see their carbon footprint decrease.  Some companies can announce the good results of their carbon footprint via the internet to serve as a good model and make other companies want to compete or live up to their high standards.  The ever advancing technology of the internet does and should continue to make this possible.   With the increasing introduction of laptops and other technology in the classroom, students would be able to calculate and monitor their own carbon footprint right from class.

                The world of environmental conservation is an ever-changing subject.  Students who learn today that a certain alternative source of energy such as hydrogen fuel cells are seriously expensive may experience and learn information completely different to future students who hear that hydrogen fuel cells are becoming a more feasible source of energy because the improving technology has made them cheaper.  Specifically discussing the teaching of environmental conservation, the change in the future will be in the content of the subject.  Any changes in how environmental conservation is taught could be applied to other subjects such as the introduction of laptops into the classroom or having online class.

                I haven’t attended an environmental class at UMD, but in high school I feel like our teacher made a valiant effort to include technology into the classroom.  She used power points and often posted YouTube videos related to environmental topics.  For homework she had us examine carbon footprints and other calculators online.  I suppose to improve technology use, students could further this by showing environmentally related videos or information on their mobile devices.

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