Dirty Tech

Dirty, dangerous and destructive – the elements of a technology boom

    There is a story less heard when it comes to technology, the resource the world around hails as god-like in its use. And perhaps it is, however, there is much to say about the portion of our beloved laptops and smart phones which has quite a shaded past. The rare metals inside of this electronic equipment likely came from a destitute part of the world, and the environmental and human cost for these materials is high. In truth, the human rights violations which occurred during the Chinese manufacturing of my Apple Macbook Pro would likely turn my stomach.

   We ignore these facets of our technology because, all in all, they are outweighed by the incredible benefits they offer us, and it's certainly true that advances in technology have saved countless lives in recent years, and improved the quality of life of much of the world.

   So I end this short post with a challenge: think of the pollution, physical labor, and death which went into whatever medium from which this post is read; perhaps that alone will do some good.