Technology is a driving force for progress in every conceivable area of human activity. Embracing new technologies, however, requires planning, foresight and above all a willingness to limit usage when it starts harming the environment to control the impacts of Technology.

While technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines and biofuel fuel sources are being employed with gusto by environmentalists as a way of addressing climate change, there is another aspect of technology that has been less widely deployed and that concerns us – the negative environmental impacts of technology.

Bad impacts of technology on environment

Technology has left its mark on every sphere of life nowadays and is also leaving its impact on the environment. As per an estimate, technology in the form of computers, laptops and cellphones use up to 5% of the total energy used by an average person.

In addition to this, these devices require more natural resources including metals, plastics and glass which are non-renewable resources. It has led to depletion of mineral stocks in some parts of the world and there is no long-term solution for this issue.

Enormous carbon footprint

Since electronic waste is produced in a big amount, it is easy to neglect the aspects of its production affecting the environment. The impacts of technology on the environment are not limited to just the number of electronic devices being discarded or disposed of. It also deals with the manufacture of those devices and carbon emissions as a result.

Manufacturing 1 phone releases 16kg of carbon into the environment. These emissions keep increasing as the phone is used and consumes power via battery charging. When making a new phone leaves an enormous carbon footprint behind, how can it be okay to keep making new technology and keep harming our planet? These emissions are not just problematic for the future generation but they are directly impacting us at this moment.

Obama rightly said: “We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and we are the last generation that can do something about it”.

Mining natural resources

The Earth has limited resources and we cannot always use them because there will be a point when we will run out. At this particular time, it seems like we are running out of resources and something needs to be done about it.

When manufacturing a mobile phone, a considerable amount of minerals and materials go into its making. These minerals are extracted from mines in different parts of the world and their resources raise environmental concerns, increasing the negative impacts of technology.

Mining does not just use up the resources but also causes deforestation, child labour in developing countries, water pollution and most importantly releases huge amounts of harmful carbon. All of this to make an upgraded smartphone.

Production of electronic waste

The most talked about and the obvious problem of increasing technology is the mounting piles of electronic waste. Here we are not talking about regular trash, this is the toxic e-waste that concerns the environmentalists.

A very small portion of old devices are recycled, the rest of it goes to the landfills and releases harmful chemicals such as lead and mercury. These chemicals are released into the soil and seep to the nearest water body as well. These chemicals are sometimes mixed with drinking water and cause dangerous diseases such as cancer. Other times, they toxify the marine life that is later consumed by humans.

Contributing towards climate change

SDG# 13, Climate Action does not seem to have accomplished over the course of time. The increasing technology and manufacture of new and upgraded devices show that. The growing e-waste and increasing electricity demand for the manufacture of technology is directly increasing the impact of climate change.

Pollution is an alarming situation in the 21^st century especially because it is directly impacting the world via climate change. We can see flash floods, droughts, storms, heatwaves, melting glaciers and rising sea levels directly influencing our lives as an impact of technology.

How can recycling help curb the impacts of technology?

All the negative impacts of technology can be countered by one main solution: Recycling. Here is the impact of recycling on the environment.

Recycling saves energy

Recycling is one of the best ways to cut down on energy consumption and help your environment. The current global energy consumption is over 50 trillion kilowatt hours. But recycling consumes less energy than manufacturing new products. It also saves money by finding alternative uses for old products.

Recycling electronics helps reduce the use of raw materials, energy and landfills. With sensible people using their electronics until they break, they still look for the best way to handle the waste that comes with these devices. By recycling old electronics, you can help provide a solution for the problem of electronic waste.

Safeguards natural resources

Recycling is the process of recovering raw materials from discarded electronic objects (such as plastic, glass and metals) to produce new materials for reuse. Recycling impact on the environment is positive as it helps reduce usage of natural resources and pollution by decreasing carbon emissions.

Recycling means you will not have to dig up new materials for the manufacture of more technology. You can use the old discarded devices to extract useful materials and use them in the manufacture of new devices.

Prevents pollution and saves space in landfills

We are currently seeing the impacts of pollution leading the climate change directly happening especially in third-world countries. However, the reason behind the impact is the enormous carbon emissions. If every human being plays their role and limits their consumption of technology, a huge difference will be made.

Landfills are becoming more and more saturated with tonnes of waste and toxic chemicals. Recycling is a major step in solid waste management and can be helpful in combating the negative impacts of technology.

It is time to collect your old and redundant IT equipment and get it recycled from a local computer recycling company.

Technology initiatives that are saving the environment

Technology is not just contributing to pollution and climate change, there are many initiatives toward reducing it as well. Here we have mentioned a few positive impacts of technology on the environment. The future of technology can prove to be a saviour of our planet as well, only if we make the right policies and invent sustainable solutions.

Electric cars are a game changer

Thanks to technology, now you can move around in your car without burning fossil fuels. The new electric cars are a game changer when it comes to saving the planet. There are issues such as limited charging spots for your car but it can be overcome. The future of electric cars seems bright as it is a way of saving our home planet.

Renewable energy technology

Low-cost energy solutions such as improved fuel cells, modern lithium-air batteries, thermal energy collectors and hydrogen energy storage are an outcome of technology and leave a green impact on the environment. This is how technology is saving the planet and has the potential to overcome the negative impacts of technology if dealt with a proper thoughtful process.

Conclusion

Technology leaves many negative impacts on the environment but it also allows us to lead a sustainable life. We just have to find the right balance between harmful levels of technology usage and exploiting it for a better ecosystem. All the negative impacts of technology come with a general solution; recycling. In case you are looking for a reliable IT equipment recycling and disposal company, you can get help from CITD and play your role in making the planet a better place for the coming generations.

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