More Harm Than It is Worth?

Again and again the role of technology is among the most debated and divisive in the environmental conversation. As we have already discussed, many environmentalists and environmental models, notably the I=PAT equation, frame technology as one of the factors leading to environmental degradation. The opposing opinion is captured in the mastery view, as explained by Paul Wapner in his article “Humility in a Climate Age”. The mastery worldview sees technology as a tool of humans in their efforts to work around the laws of nature. The relevance of these ideas have been legitimized of late, as many environmentalists have started supporting technological fixes for the environment, such as nuclear power and carbon sequestration.

Those against the cornucopian idea that humans, through technology, can solve all of our own problems do not challenge humanity’s ability to invent. Over the past century, technological advancement has continued unabated, at a rate that has surprised even some in the science community. Moore’s law for the improvement in superconductors has consistently been correct at anticipating the exponential growth in this technology. The computing power and memory capacity of computers today were unimaginable five years ago, and will almost certainly seem insignificant five years from now.

No, the problem with technology is not that we as humans will not be able to continue producing technologies, or that we will not be able to continue producing “green technologies”. Human capacity to continue technological development is evident. The problem we face is that technology to limit environmental change will face tremendous challenges to develop at the same rate as technology that will exacerbate the impact of humans on the environment. In “Why the future doesn’t need us,” Bill Joy introduces a scary point about human technology; he says “as with nuclear technology, it is far easier to create destructive uses for nanotechnology than constructive ones” (Joy 9). This problem can be replicated for environmental technology. The human capacity to create technology destructive to the environment is far better than to do so for technology to limit human impacts. This complication calls for government oversight encouraging green technology, while at the same time discouraging new technologies that lead us further astray.