Wednesday, June 14, 2017
JOB PRESENTATION
Effects of technology
During the last decades, some observers have begun to warn about some results of the technology that also have destructive and harmful aspects. From the 1970s to the 1980s, the number of these negative outcomes has increased and their problems have reached public outreach. Observers noted, among other dangers, that automobile exhaust pipes were polluting the atmosphere, that global resources were being used beyond their means, that pesticides such as DDT threatened the food chain, and that A wide variety of industrial resources were contaminating groundwater reserves.
In recent decades, it has been argued that the environment has been so damaged by technological processes that one of the greatest challenges of modern society is the search for places to store the large amount of waste that is produced. The problems caused by the technology are the consequence of the inability to predict or evaluate its possible negative consequences. The advantages and disadvantages of the technology will continue to be weighed, while taking advantage of its results.
HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS HOW WE COMMUNICATE
HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS HOW WE COMMUNICATE
There are many debates about whether the new electronic media have impoverished our language and the ability to communicate and express ourselves, and this may be a question that we would each answer individually, but the truth is that, the way we Communicated has undergone a remarkable transformation. If we go back to analyze the changes that have undergone the technologies of the writing throughout the history of the humanity we will realize that all have had consequences in the social practices.
Many times the form of communication is homogeneous only for certain types of people, depending on their age, the place where they live, the environment in which they live, the schooling and even the socioeconomic level to which they belong. However, electronic media and, above all, social networks have managed to overcome these barriers by creating new language codes that enable oral and written communication regardless of the characteristics of the individual.
Difficulty communicating ideas
As a teacher it is easy to detect the difficulty that the students present when communicating their ideas and the enormous amount of errors that they present in their written texts. Could it be that technology has only managed to disable us? I do not think so. As in many aspects of life, in this case technology can only influence (positively or negatively) rather than determine the behavior of a certain individual or a certain group of people.
What happens, I think, is that we are using the technology incorrectly. Instead of demonizing digital media we should see them and use them as opportunities to practice our written communication (blogs, social networks, forums, etc.) and encourage reading (digital books, news, magazines, etc.).
Although chat has been able to speed communication through the abbreviation of words and expressions (emoticons), we should never consider this as a means of formal communication and, much less, to translate that language to other aspects of our life.
Difficulty in relating
It seems that our "virtual" life has taken on more importance than the real one and this is having a significant impact on how we relate to other people. Communication is the central aspect in a relationship between two people, however the mobile devices are creating a barrier that moves them away more and more.
In this sense, it is important that parents pay special attention to the small ones. It is okay for them to use the tablet, to develop higher-order cognitive skills and digital skills, but they should never lose the ability to relate to their peers. Play and socialization are determining factors in the development of a child, so it is important to control the time they spend in front of the computer or other device.
The human being is a sociable being by nature and living with other people provides a warmth that is not compared to the most expensive smartphone in the world. Try to talk and live more often with your family and friends to not lose the best moments of your life.
HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HARM MAN
At present, talking about a life without the presence of technology (in any of its modalities, cell, computer, ipad) is almost impossible. However, what is its effect on a person's mental health?
Examples of this situation are social networks, Facebook and Twtter, through which self-esteem can suffer severe damage. Research from the University of Salford suggests that this form of relationships engenders anxiety, stress and depression in people, as well as a decrease in one's self-image.
Essential?
But how does it affect mental health? Here we give you 6 forms, with information from Katherine Owen, communication expert from the University of Alabama.
2. Sleep. Using a laptop or mobile device at night can seriously affect sleep patterns, to the point of generating symptoms of depression.
3. Insulation. Excessive use of technology can lead to isolation while you have the illusion of being generating real connections with others.
4. Aggressiveness. With the increase in the use of the internet have also increased the rudeness and incivility. Anonymity and the possibility of massive dissemination of content generate a phenomenon called cyberbulling.
5. Insecurity. The use of these mechanisms makes all the time you are sharing your daily life with an endless number of people you do not know, and these in turn can know your economic position and so on.
6. Anxiety. After using pinterest people have the feeling of not being creative enough.
The same goes for the other networks: you will never know enough music or have been in as many places as the others. There will always be someone more successful than you.
In addition to this, the use of networks may lead to addiction. For Brian Solis, an Altimeter Group expert, this is because social media is addictive because it is the center of the experience.
Technology is part of everyday life, but for mental health you should reduce its use. Try it!
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
On our planet there is a lot of pollution and the saddest thing is that one of the main causes of this is the technology, which day by day is progressing making our lives easier but ruining our planet.
The technology is a main cause of environmental damages since this although it seems that does not do much damage to the environment in fact does more damage than we think.
In developed countries, these damages increase every day, since with all these industries and with the advancement of technology these are the most affected. For example China that is a developed country by the technologies has had problems since it can have much technological advance but its environment is being finished every day more.
The main environmental damages caused by the technology are:
- By the contamination of means of transport and the industries these cause air pollution which leads to the depletion of the ozone layer
- As technological devices sometimes take a long time to advance, to decompose are the same, until there are times that it takes more to decompose than to create then, this generates that there is soil contamination
- By the contamination of the technological devices the people to destroy these made to the rivers or lagoons or even to seas causing thus the contamination of the waters.
- Japan is an example of a country developed by its technologies but sometimes these, as nuclear plants can cause to death
- In some countries this technology, even the last one in the world, causes natural disasters which, in a few words, end up with everything that is within their reach.
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Tuesday, June 13, 2017
THE THREAT OF JUNK TECHNOLOGY
At this point, while you read these lines, perhaps a child in some suburb of Accra (Ghana) is manipulating the cell phone that you discarded a few months ago as very old and replaced by a new generation. Although an international agreement prohibits the export of these equipment, many illegal companies, or smuggling mafias, send these equipment into disuse to African or Asian countries from South America or North America. There, minors, exploited as labor, disrupt the equipment and take circuits, plastic, copper and other items to sell them and get some money for their families. According to studies carried out in the European Union, on average, electrical and electronic equipment is composed of 25 percent reusable elements and 72 percent recyclable materials (plastics, ferrous metals, aluminum, copper, gold, tin). This social drama is only one part of a difficult problem that has been implanted in humanity by the increase of the use of new technologies. The other part of the problem is, without being less serious, an environmental obstacle, because electronic waste always contains very dangerous substances. 49 million metric tons of electronic waste occurred last year in the world. The same European Union investigation says, for example, that such wastes include 3 percent of potentially toxic elements, including lead, mercury, beryllium, selenium, cadmium, chromium, halogenated substances, or other more complex ones such as chlorofluorocarbons, biphenyls , Arsenic and asbestos, among others. For example, a computer screen has lead, and when it is badly destroyed or thrown unattended in a field or on a street (this is the case in some neighborhoods of San Andres in the face of difficulties in removing them from the island), there is Possibility of degradation of that substance contaminates the groundwater. Something similar occurs when the same screen is thrown in an open garbage dump, as if it were a can, a plastic container or other traditional waste, which are often incinerated. All are very aggressive substances for the soil and air, and seriously affect health. To mention only one: Arsenic, present in semiconductors, is a cause of brain and cardiovascular injuries. How to take good advantage of what is potentially recyclable and properly dispose of what contaminates? That is the challenge facing the world with an increasingly consumerist society. Last year, nearly 49 million metric tons of electronic waste were produced worldwide, equivalent to 7 kilograms per inhabitant of the planet, a figure that for the year 2017 will increase by 33 percent, according to a study by the University of the Nations United. A problem to which Colombia is no stranger. About 143,000 tonnes of electronic waste from computers, cell phones and televisions are produced annually, to name but a few of the most purchased appliances. Only of computer equipment waste reaches 17,000 tons. The topic has been widely discussed and generated at least three main reactions. On the one hand, a law that would regulate the disposal of these wastes. Also the intention of the Ministry of the Environment to regulate the chaos through post-consumption programs. And finally, business initiatives are added in an attempt by the private sector to lead corrective action.  Until this year, 580 tonnes of waste have been collected The first step was taken last year, when Law 1672 of July 19, 2013, was passed, by means of which it establishes the guidelines for the adoption of a public policy of Integrated Waste Management of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE ). This legislation seeks to minimize risks to health and the environment and to facilitate the management of disused electrical and electronic equipment. It also obliges the producer of these to establish a system of collection and safe environmental management. And it sets rules for consumers, who must deliver the waste generated at designated sites so that they are properly destroyed. This Law lacks regulation and establish scope, but only with its creation have been generated reactions. For example, the National Association of Entrepreneurs of Colombia (Andi) brought together 41 companies (representing more than 45 percent of the national technology market) and created EcoCómputo, the first system of selective collection and environmental management of computer waste and / Or peripherals of Colombia. Until this year 580 tons of waste have been collected, corresponding to 80,000 equipment in Bogotá, Cali, Medellín and Barranquilla. Another successful attempt is driven by Computers to Educate. According to Martha Castellanos, director of this public program, about 3,000 tons of waste, equivalent to about 141,000 computers, have been treated in a process in which waste is recycled and then sold to companies that use such waste as raw Materials. Private firms, apart from the new law, have also tuned in offering alternatives. Hewlett Packard, as part of its recycling program in Colombia alone and since 2007, has recycled more than 613,000 kilograms of used products and cartridges delivered by its customers. The idea is to exceed 170,000 kilograms between 2013 and 2014. Apple, meanwhile, has just created a particular strategy. Followers of the brand will be able to deliver their old iPad in the authorized stores, where an assessment will be made. Depending on the price at which it is valued, this value can be used in the purchase of another iPad of the latest generation. Older iPads will be used in responsible recycling programs for sale in developing countries and second markets, or to process their components and recycle them. And perhaps one of the most consolidated collection programs is the one organized since 2007 by mobile operators, who collect an average of 400,000 phones damaged or abandoned a year. All of the above shows that there is progress, but it is still not the ideal scenario. Pollution remains a potential threat. But, in addition, a latent challenge. As the rector of the United Nations University, one of the most studious institutions in the world, Konrad Osterwalder: "The challenge of dealing with electronic waste is very complex, very difficult, but perfecting that process would represent a step Important in the transition to the green economy. " |
Monday, June 12, 2017
HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HARM THE ENVIRONMENT
How Technology can Harm the Environment
Many of the technologies we use every day consume a lot more resources and power than they need to, and using and manufacturing them can create a mess. Here are a few of the ways that technology can harm the environment:
You can encourage manufacturers by choosing to buy more energy-efficient and less hazardous electronics and by supporting companies that make protecting the environment a priority. You can also do your own part to reduce environmental impact by not being wasteful and disposing of your electronics safely and properly.
Toxic Technotrash
Technotrash, also called electronic waste or
e-waste, is any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic device, and is currently the most rapidly-growing type of waste.
If you just throw away technotrash with the regular trash, it usually ends up in a landfill. Most electronics contain non-biodegradable materials, and heavy metals and toxic materials like cadmium, lead and mercury. Over time, these toxic materials can leak into the ground, where they can contaminate the water we drink, the plants we eat and the animals that live around the area. Many European countries have even banned technotrash from landfills.
These toxic materials can cause all kinds of bad effects including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and even cancer. If you keep eating and drinking contaminated food and water, these toxins can build up in your body. If you eat animals that have been contaminated, you're getting a double dose of toxins. What's even worse, your body can't properly process some of these metals and so they might take years to get out of your system.
To help protect the environment, don't put technotrash in with the rest of your household's garbage. Check with your local recycling centers to see if they take technotrash, or enter the type of trash and your zip code at Earth911.org to look for other recycling places nearby. You can also ship it to a company that specializes in disposing of technotrash, like GreenDisk.
Tips for Recycling Technotrash
Before you recycle your technotrash, check out these tips:
Sanitize your Hard Drive
Before donating a machine, be sure to remove all of your files and data from it. Most people will just try to drag everything to the trash can or recycle bin, but this only partially erases the information! Cyber criminals can find this “deleted” information and use it however they want. To really protect yourself, you need to run a program that “sanitizes” your hard drive. These programs, which can be found online, work by replacing all your data with a jumble of useless nonsense. That way, your information is safe, and your good deed goes unpunished!
Consider Donating your Mobile Device
There are actually a LOT of great things your old mobile devices can do for people. Whether that means helping soldiers overseas talk to their families or helping victims of domestic violence, they can be a lot more than clutter for your junk drawer. Here is a list of several worthwhile charities.
Raise Some Funds
Because electronics contain precious metals including gold, silver and copper, technotrash can actually be worth a little money. Why not hold a community fundraiser to collect and dispose of everyone's technotrash? You'll be helping both your community and the environment at the same time!
Reuse Those Ink Cartridges
Many locations that sell new printer ink cartridges will refill your old cartridge for a fraction of the cost. Each cartridge you throw away takes anywhere between 400 and 1,000 years to decompose, and on average, there are 11 cartridges thrown out every minute across the globe! Not all cartridges can be refilled, and even cartridges that you've filled in the past will eventually break down after continual use. When this happens, take them to the store where you bought them and recycle them. Sometimes, the store will even give you a discount on your next ink cartridge.
Just a note to our international readers: using refilled ink cartridges can cancel your printer's warranty, so be careful. If you're in the US, don't worry about it. It's illegal for the manufacturer to cancel the warranty because of used ink cartridges.
How Technology can Help the Environment
While some of the impact of computers and the Internet has unfortunately been negative, much of it has also been positive. Here's just a few of the ways that technology is helping to improve the environment:
1 ) - It helps us develop and produce new materials and technologies that are sustainable and do not harm the environment, so we can eventually stop using ones that do harm it
2 ) -It allow us to monitor and study our environment to better understand how it works and the impact of our actions on it
3) - It helps us create smarter technologies that respond to how we use them and adjust themselves to reduce their environmental impact, such as lights that can sense when no one is in the room and automatically turn off
4) - It allows us to have a worldwide virtual laboratory, so that experts from all fields can share their research, experience and ideas to come up with better, smarter solutions. Not only does this allow people far away from each other to work together, but it also reduces the environmental impact people would normally cause from traveling to meet with each other
5) - It allows for paperless communication like email and online bill paying to reduce the amount of trees cut down
6) - It allows companies to reduce shipping and manufacturing impact and to reach a broader audience
Sometimes people can get so excited about using a new technology that they overlook the negative impact on the environment. But, it's very important that we use technology in the smartest and most responsible manner, so that we are solving problems, not creating more for the future.
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On our planet there is a lot of pollution and the saddest thing is that one of the main causes of this is the technology, which day by d... -
HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS HOW WE COMMUNICATE There are many debates about whether the new electronic media have impoverished our language ... -
Effects of technology During the last decades, some observers have begun to warn about some results of the technology that also have dest...