Technological Solutions To Global Issues

Introduction

Technological solutions that have been taken up in being able to solve global problems lead to the development of long terms problems as well as problems that were initially not there in the first place. While the most immediate and short term problems which may not entirely be quite significant are solved, the problems eventually developed completely outweigh the short term benefits that come along with solving short term problems with the use of technology. For instance, the continued supply of clean water and food to be able to feed the inflating world population has greatly benefited from the development and application of technology in purifying machines and modern hunting and fishing techniques. However these machines have contributed greatly to the pollution of the atmosphere as well as the destruction of the ecological balance that is necessary for the sustainability of living species within the planet.

Technology in Health and Wellbeing

Technology has in fact been instrumental and quite beneficial in being able to solve some of the short term global problems such as finding cure to diseases that caused epidemics and led to loss of many lives. Elliot (2012) highlights that one of the major advancement of technology includes the development of vaccines and cures that eradicated major diseases like small pox that killed millions of people. While this was beneficial in the short term it has led population explosion which has seen the globe accumulate up to 7 billion human beings threatening its ability to remain sustainable in the long run. Population explosion has also led to the development of other problems including pollution and other deadlier diseases like cancer. While similar technological developments are being utilized in the solving of this short term problem of population explosion through development of birth control measures and techniques, medical consultants highlight that most of these techniques may negatively impact on individuals using them in the long run further demonstrating that technological solutions bare long term negative impacts to the globe whatsoever.

Technology and Security

Seitz (2012) in addition highlights that security and insecurity issues raised after the nuclear bombing by the US in 1945 during World War I has led to development of technology in terms of weapons leading to the birth of a long term problem of insecurity and war that is never ending. Different countries have developed different kinds of weapons to be able to protect themselves which further increases the levels of global insecurity facilitating wars and propagating terrorist attacks that further undermine global peace and development presenting a much bigger problem in the long run. This is further compounded by technological advances that enable exploitation of different deep sea fishing grounds, breading international disputes regarding ownership of these fishing grounds.

Improved fishing techniques that can be used in deep sea fishing in order to improve the production of sea foods have been adopted thereby solving the problem of short term need of food. However, as a result, aquatic life in the deep seas is fast being depleted and thus presenting a dilemma in the management of the ecosystem (Tenner, 2014). In addition the technological methodologies do not allow for preservation of other aquatic life and thereby lead to the development of a larger long term problem of global food crisis.

Misappropriation of Technology

Pontin (2013) points out that misappropriation of technology or its use in instances where it is not actually efficient or required is rampant in most developing countries across the globe. This highlights one of the reasons for the increasing negative impact experienced from the use of technology and that contribute towards the overall phenomenon of a more serious long term problem, as a result of the use of technology in the solving of the short term problems. Long term problems developed as a result of technology including greenhouse effect that is leading to climate change as well as extensive air pollution are a result of extensive emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere from machines. A lot of these machines however may be necessary in solving short term problems but are being utilized in an unnecessary situation leading to the increase in the overall negative impact in the long run.

Conclusion

Technology just like any other advancement comes with both negative and positive impacts and effects. However given the evaluation of the overall impact, technological solutions for short term problems are quite costly in the long run and as such ought to be minimized. Exploitation of other alternatives for short term problems can be quite instrumental in avoiding future problems and dilemmas and as such technological solutions should be relegated to the last option in whichever situation.

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References

• Elliot D. (2012). Energy, Society and Environment. Routledge Publishers.
• Pontin J. (2013). Can Technology solve our big problems? [online] Ted Talks, youtube.com. Available at
• Seitz J. L. (2012). Global Issues: An Introduction. 3rd Edition. Blackwell Publishers.
• Tenner E. (2014). Unintended Consequences. [online] Ted Talks, youtube.com Available at