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Peter Hollen!

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Mary Traester!
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Writing 150!
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10/1/14!

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Change Through Education!

In a Ted Talk in 2012, young entrepreneur Boyan Slat described his proposal for

a solution to clean up plastic pollution in open ocean water. His idea surrounded around
small robotic bodies that would act together to filter water while not harming
zooplankton and other biological factors that may slip past the nets. With his proposed
solution, he promoted the idea of technological advancement as being the answer to
ocean pollution. He went on to claim that different robots could be instructed to also
remove chemicals and toxic particles from the ocean. Slat even went as fas as to say
that in collecting and recycling these wastes he could generate millions of dollars in
profits. However, Slat fails to see that he is unconsciously advocating for unsustainable
human enterprise. His promise for technological advancement only encourages the
potential for further human exploitation of the environment by providing a promised
clean up system that will cover up consumption in the first place. Ecologists have coined
the term techno-optimism as the belief that technological advancement will be the
savior for the anthropogenic planet (Alexander 2). Supporters of this strategy, like Slat,
credit technological advancement as being both the cause and solution for
environmental degradation. However, defenders of this approach fail to see barriers in
the global society that will disable the effectiveness of technological advance in
protecting the worlds anthropogenic systems. Although innovation in technology is
absolutely necessary in creating a more sustainable society, current ethical, economic

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and political realities create crippling barriers to achieving any success in technologys
effectiveness. So until these impediments are disabled through global education on the
role of humans in the anthropogenic planet, technological advancement will prove futile
in creating environmental sustainability.!
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Current political circumstances pose some of the biggest barriers to technologys

influence in a sustainable society. The existing political nature, both in the domestic and
global scenes, impedes any chance at compromise and movement into the future.
Differences in interests between political parties and countries curb a one-size-fits-all
mentality. On a global scale, Scholars Tammy Joyce and Justin Lewis assert that
developed countrieswho are largely responsible for creating the problemare
pitched against developing countries who are anxious not to see their own development
curtailed (Boyce & Lewis 4). They are commenting on the diverse interests of countries
located in the different areas on the demographic transition spectrum. The different
interests will only further separate the countries by their long term goals in
environmental sustainability and economic growth. Then domestically, political parties
will not compromise to act in a bipartisan manner working towards a joint effort in finding
a solution for sustainability, for they are moored in there own efforts to keep individual
power planted in the political system. The current parties manage their power by
representing the interests of the largest financial contributors to their causes and
political campaigns instead of working for a unified effort in sustainability. For example,
Exxon Mobile contributed almost 1.5 million dollars in campaign contributions in 2013 to
candidates who supported the oil and gas industries (Open Secrets 1). The current
complexity of these relationships, both domestically and globally, will serve to keep

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technological advancement at bay. Legislation would be unable to sufficiently support
innovation, instead turning it into a race of self-interests. These tainted relationships in
the highest parts of the government also create a crippling blockade to any influence
from grass-roots sources. Researchers Jay Byme and Henry Miller illuminate that many
supporters of the environment have resorted to eco-terrorism. While their passionate
attacks and insults of these environmentalists take away from the credibility of their
article, they do admit that the top-down control of environmental problems has forced
people into desperate situations. Changes in political nature could potentially bring
about access for grass-roots efforts to make a difference. These changes would need to
facilitate the eradication of the dishonest relationships between businesses and
politicians that block any influence from the common people. Then, passionate
environmentalists may not have to resort to unethical practices of eco-terrorism.!
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Top-down control, that by large corporations and banks, in the economic sector

greatly inhibits any potential benefits of technological innovation in environmental

sustainability. The free-market system and the nature of current consumerism are the
two biggest contributing factors to this control. Environmental researcher Samuel
Alexander asserts that western-style affluent lifestyles and habits of consumerism are
the downfall of techno-optimism. Most humans are unwilling to make compromises in
their income and consumption in order to protect the environment. Victor Liebow
contends that [consumers] need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced, and
discarded at an ever increasing rate. Consumerism has become a cycle that is
characterized by exponential rates of consumption (Alexander 4). Businesses support
increased consumption no matter the effect on the environment as more consumption

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translates to increased profits, which is the ultimate goal in a free-market system on
which the global economy was founded. Samuel Alexander explains that corporations
are on an endless search for increased net revenues and profitability. Corporations may
claim that they are making gains in environmental sustainability, but in reality they are
only making changes in efficiency that in the end are overwhelmed by increases in
consumption. History has proven that increased efficiency does not translate to
sustainability, and in many cases it created direct heightened consumption of the
resource in which efficiency was bettered (Alexander 10). Alexander strongly disagrees
with techno-optimism, when he describes how technology cannot and will not solve
environmental problems so long as it is applied within a growth-based economic model.
Unfortunately for techno-optimists, current economic conditions are founded on the
idea of growth. Even if they do improve efficiency, consumption and production will
continue to grow in a direct relationship. Politicians will support these powerful
corporations in order to secure re-election and a cycle of growth will start that increases
consumption no matter the gains in efficiency. Current economic realities make
technological innovation an irrational solution to reversing environmental degradation.!
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The diversity of global ethical and cultural beliefs also act as a blockade for the

effectiveness of technological advancement in environmental sustainability. The world is

too diverse in thinking to produce any similarities in goals and interests regarding the
environment. Religion, culture, politics and upbringing form many different moral
standards. Opinions and beliefs sprout from these foundations and make it almost
impossible to agree on any subject surrounding humans role in nature. There is no one
size fits all solution to any moral subject, especially the ethical issues surrounding

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environmental problems. To shift shift from global self-interest in the aspects of ethics,
politics and economics to a unified effort working together to reverse the degradation of
the environment is the only hope for technological advancement becoming the solution
for which ecologists have long been searching for.!
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At the foundation of each of these barriers is a self-serving self-interest inhibiting

global improvement in the environment. Evolution has proven that humans, along with
many species, are innately attracted to affluence, resources and their own self-interests.
It is irrational to ask humans to sacrifice their own greed for the health of the
environment given current economic, political and ethical standings. Thus, changes
must be made to decrease the importance of these selfish thirsts and alter the dynamics
responsible for the blockades in the global society to achieve environmental
sustainability. Global education on environmental problems poses the best potential
solution to polarize global views. Unfortunately a majority of the worlds population does
not possess the sufficient knowledge of the relationship between the environment and
humans. Part of this is due to higher-level powers valuing information as a source of
control. The less that regular citizens know, the more power governments and business
are able to exert over environmental issues. A global environmental program must be
issued to alleviate these attempts of control. This program should be designed by a
world organization that includes multiple representatives from each country and cultural
background. The details of this plan could be worked out in the future. Specifically for
the United States, a mandatory program could be issued that all citizens would take
during the tax process to ensure that environmental problems are brought to light and
explained to every American citizen. These are just infant proposals but other programs

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could be installed that would be more effective along the lines of educating the
populace, humanity which impacts the environment.! !
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This brings about the importance of the media in the education of the human

population on the environment. In their article Climate Change and the Media, Tammy
Joyce and Justin Lewis argue that the media is the most influential institution of
socialization in modern society. While the relationship between the media and highlevel governmental powers is more complex then most people understand, the media
possesses the opportunity to illuminate certain factors in ethical, economical and
political systems that would allow technology to have a powerful impact on
environmental problems and their resolutions. The media, coupled with a world-wide
education program, could become major factors in changing human behavior towards
the environment. Most people are unaware of the direct consequences their lifestyles
have on the environment and its increasing degradation; therefore they do not heavily
support actions to protect and heal the environment. However media and an education
system could potentially transform views on accountability and spotlight direct effects of
human actions prompting changes in human behavior and the environment. For
example, a woman would be more proactive in changing her lifestyle habits after seeing
the plastic water bottles she buys every week resting in The Great Pacific Garbage
Patch. A system to measure individual degradation of the environment in order to hold
people more accountable would be a useful tool. While it was the human natures
characteristics of greed and desires in the free-market system that harmed the
environment, ecologists must now rely on that very human nature to reverse the
problem it originally created. Education and accountability will bring about the good

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aspects of human nature such as compassion, drive and togetherness that could bring
about changes in the treatment of the environment.!
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The media could also potentially play a role in the strengthening of grass-roots

efforts on behalf of the environment. With education, the unfair processes of world
powers could be unveiled to citizens. Democracies are founded on the views of the
people, thus changes in beliefs of citizens would ultimately force politicians and
businesses to change their ways. Again, the issue is accountability. The media and an
education system could provide to the populace the necessary transparency in political
actions that could potentially change environmental treatment. The disablement of
hidden processes between high powers in economics, politics and ethics would allow
citizens to make more of a difference. For example, Tabasco, the worlds biggest
producer of hot sauce controls over 80% of the worlds pepper agriculture (Slater 1) .
Since they remain a private company they do not have to report profits or emissions
despite the process of agriculture being one of the biggest contributors of climate
change. This example could be eliminated by education and transparency. Media could
also contribute to environmental protection in other ways. !
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While in the current context technology does not provide a rational complete

solution to environmental problems, earlier evidence does not claim that technology
does not have the potential to be this answer. Technology provides the best possible
apparatus to which humans can use for environmental problems. The argument
provided in this essay does not assume that a utopian society will be formed through
education of the citizens. It must be realized that self-interests will still play a factor in
the education system and corruption will still exist in politics, ethics and economics.

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However, education and transparency can vastly improve these relationships, making
society more prepared to improve the effectiveness of technological advancement in
creating sustainability for the environment. Technology can provide an excellent
potential solution, however it is simply inconceivable if not coupled with changes in
human behavior and interaction with the environment.!
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Techno-optimists must realize the importance of changes in human behavior

both individually and on a global scale before any beneficial technological advancement
can be shaped. If these changes do not occur, technology will continue to play the same
role in human interaction with the environment that is has since the industrial revolution.
Technology provides human with a fascinating yet delicate vehicle to environmental
sustainability. If the realities of economic, political and ethical areas are not realized,
technology will continue to play a monstrous role towards the environment and exhaust
its resources through exponential growth in consumption. However changes in human
behavior coupled with economic innovation provides the best solution. Only then will
technology be the savior of the environment. Only then will Boyan Slats robots return
the ocean water to a beautiful blue that has become the symbol of the natures
perfection.!

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Works Cited!
Slater, Dashka. "Who Made That Tabasco Sauce?" New York Times, 29 Aug. 2014. !
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Web. 2 Oct. 2014.!

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"Oil & Gas." Opensecrets RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2014.!
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Boyce, Tammy, and Justin Lewis. "Climate Change and the Media." Peter Land, n.d. !
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Web. 25 Sept. 2014.!

Byme, Jay, and Henry Miller. "Domestic Eco-Terrorism Has Deep Pockets. And Many !
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Enablers." Forbes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.!

Alexander, Samuel. "A Critique of Techno-Optimism: Efficiency without Sufficiency Is !

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Lost." Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, Jan. 2014. Web. Sept. 2014.!

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