The Environment Vs Technology: The Great Irony!

Ever since man has discovered how to use tools, there has been an insatiable quest to create tools that make survival easier in our environment. As mans needs increased, technologies have been developed to better utilize the environment to satisfy our ever increasing needs. The environment is essentially a resource that renews, regulates and sustains itself in a continuous circle of life. However some resources, such as oil and fossil fuels are not renewable and have a limited supply that will eventually cease. Human industries have become so efficient in extracting these resources from the environment, that certain ecosystems that regulate the environment are becoming threatened. Weather patterns are changing, climate temperatures are increasing, our oceans are warming, Polar ice caps are melting at increased rates and natural disasters are occurring more frequently.



Many scientists believe that the increased CO2 emissions are to blame (Kruger & Shongwe, 2004; New et al., 2006). As you may know, CO2 is mostly produced when fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, coal and their by-products are combusted or burnt. The CO2 is the most well known contributor to greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases naturally form part of the Earth’s atmosphere and are essential in keeping the Sun’s warmth in our atmosphere. Without greenhouse gases Earth would be a cold barren place. However, human activity is pushing out more CO2 than the Earth needs, and this is holding more of the Sun’s heat in our atmosphere. This is where the term Global warming stems from and is theorized by scientists to be the main driver of climate change. [Dr Emma Archer, Feb 2010: ENSO and the tropical Pacific [in " Climate Change – A Critical Emerging Issue"]. Dept. Environmental Affairs..

THE SOUTH AFRICAN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION PROFILE - 2000

[South Africa’s Clean technology fund investment portfolio. http://soer.deat.gov.za/State_of_the_Environment.html. 27 October 2009]



The sheer magnitude of how much CO2 humans produce is astounding. Five minutes in a smoking section is bad enough, but just imagine living in one your entire life. Put simply, human technology has become the source of damage to the natural environment.