Is There a Place for Sustainability in a Technology-Dependent Society?

Abstract

Any thought about electronics and their marvelous progress in the last few decades, brings to mind the need to carry a power cord or a battery pack for its use along with the device. However, the increasing cost of electricity and the pollution associated with fossil fuels remind us of the price of that progress. In addition, the technical marvels of modern life usually end up discarded in landfills, and the batteries that power most electronic portable devices are an environmental concern for the hazardous chemicals employed. Although recycling programs already are in operation around the globe, several thousands of tons of batteries are still discarded in landfills in the United States alone. What can be expected from the developing world? How sustainable can the future be if the pollution and the consumption of non-renewable energy resources continue their current trend? Environmental technology, or green echnology, promises an answer.

Keywords: sustainability, green technology, environment