We are all responsible for what happens in this world. As technology expands so does the environmental effect on our society. We have become a 'throw away' society. Due to our excessive consumption practices, most of what we use today, in turn, ends up in landfills tomorrow. Though we would like to place the blame of the destruction of the world's rain forests, the ozone layer and pollution on technology, truth is, the fault lies within the scope of all of society. The easiest, cheapest, quickest, most profitable solutions to our needs and wants is what society strives for - at the costs of the ecology and our lives as we now know them. Unless we make drastic changes in our every day li ...view middle of the document...
Industry and society are so quick to take the cheapest and most profitable road. It took public awareness and outrage for changes to take effect, producing ozone friendly spray cans. Although CFC's and other ozone-depleting substances are limited in use, their residues continue to deplete the ozone layer and will do so for years to come. Natural events, such as volcanic eruption, with clouds of dust particles, can also affect the way chlorine depletes the ozone layer. Still one other form of pollution affects the ozone layer - high levels of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide in congested traffic areas. They create photochemical smog that, in turn, increases levels of ozone at ground level. Ozone that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays causes respiratory problems and seriously exacerbates asthma for humans and is damaging to plants when the ozone is at ground level.When I was younger, I remember watching a television commercial where an Indian stands near a polluted river, with a tear falling from his eye. If my memory serves me, this was about the same time that society began to realize the negative effects pollution has on the environment. In addition, at the same time, we as a society continue to pollute our world. One example that rings clear in my mind is the Dirty Diaper Deal. In California, in November 2002, Santa Clarita, with the help of Knowaste LLC, started a baby diaper-recycling program. Knowaste let the taxpayers of California to believe that they could help clean up the environment by recycling tons of dirty diapers that continue to end up in landfills daily. The six-month trial program costs the taxpayers $250.000.00 and additional money was collected through government grants totaling an additional $250,000.00. Knowaste claimed that the recycled plastic could be recycled into plastic wood products, roofing shingles and vinyl wood siding, while the fiber content could be used in wallpaper, shoe insoles and oil filters; but they never did what they promised to do. At a cost of about $1,800 per ton of diapers collected, only one percent was actually recycled, while the remaining ninety-nine percent ended up in sewers and landfills. What happened to all that money that Knowaste received? The company used it to pay-off lobbyists and politicians. We need to use our heads! A diaper costs thirty-five cents to buy and seven dollars to dispose of!I believe the worse ecological problem today created by technology is pollution. Disposable diapers, paper plates, soda cans, plastic grocery bags, plastic milk jugs, baby food jars, boxes, fast food clam shells, tires, junk mail - we are a throw away society! I remember when my mother bought milk in bottles from the milkman, and potato chips from the Charles Chip man, in cans. I remember when soda and beer came by the case in returnable bottles. Baby food was made in the kitchen. Diapers were cloth and either were washed at home or cleaned by a diaper service. We grew our ...
