The Hidden Truth of Technology
By: Isaac Mroz
What is this? We have started choosing technology over the environment. Technology is using a lot of our natural resources and is not good for the environment. If we continue to use technology so much we will lose the nice, clean earth we live on.
"No way! The new iPhone 6+ just came out! Well I guess I can just throw away my old phone and get one". That's what most people do with old technology. They throw it away. You shouldn't do that though. Old technology that's thrown away sometimes releases poisonous chemicals into the air and water. It's shocking but 40% of Lead in U.S. Land fills is from technology (Colson, Mary. 2014). Just imagine how much cleaner the earth would be if technology wasn't thrown away that much. Seriously, 90% of technology is thrown away which means only 10% is recycled. When technology is recycled it does not release chemicals into the environment.
Technology is taking a lot of our natural resources, and eventually we may run out of them. One computer screen takes: 530 pounds of fossil fuels, 46 pounds of chemicals, and over 343 gallons of water (Colson, Mary. 2014). That is crazy! It also uses a lot of energy. Electronics always use batteries. Batteries use: cadmium, lead, zinc, manganese, nickel, mercury, silver, and lithium. All of those are natural resources that technology uses.
I get it. Sometimes you use technology in a positive way, and no social media is not one of them. For example, you can use technology to check the weather for the day. You can also use technology to stay in touch with your family and friends that you don't get to see much. Some people even use it for school. This is called cyber school. Those are some reasons why technology is good.
In conclusion, technology hurts our environment. It releases poisonous chemicals into the air, and it also uses a lot of natural resources. Next time you get new technology try to recycle your old technology. Trust me, the earth will thank you
Bibliography
Colson, Mary. The True Cost of Technology. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2014
Shostak, Seth. "Get Plugged In". Cobblestone Jul. Aug.,2015: 33-35. Sirs Discoveror Web. 02 Feb. 2016