What impact has science and technology left on our world?
Science and Technology have done major wonders for society but also have left inklings of destruction. Without science or technology, the average life span would probably still be around forty, but it has also destroyed our planet.
Air Pollution
Air pollution creates a smog and makes barely anything visible. The smog highly decreases the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth. Without sun life would cease to exist. The food supply would dwindle because of not being able to produce the same quantities of it.
According to Airly, “Plants, trees, and crops grow slower when exposed to prolonged air pollution. Ozone is particularly harmful to plant cells and disturbs photosynthesis, which will endanger even more vegetation in the coming years. What are the possible future effects of air pollution on agriculture? Damaged plants will give diminished crops, which may cause global food shortages. We’re already dealing with huge losses of soy, wheat, maize, and rice, and this issue will only get worse with rising air pollution.”
Water Pollution
Water pollution ranges from actual chemicals being dumped into the ocean all the way to the lead in your water pipes. Water is essential for ALL life.
As claimed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,
“Examples follow of potential drinking water contaminants and reported health effects, which can range from subtle to severe depending on the chemical and total exposure.
Arsenic – a known human carcinogen associated with skin, lung, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer
Lead – behavioral and developmental effects in children; and cardiovascular and kidney problems
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) chemicals – damage to the immune and reproductive systems
Pesticides – neurodevelopmental effects and Parkinson’s disease”
Soil Pollution
If our soil gets polluted then how are we able to grow our food? What kind of life does that even look like?
According to Vedantu, the effects of soil pollution on human health are pretty severe.
“The contamination of soil has a major consequence on human health. Crops and plants that are grown on polluted soil absorb most of the pollution and then pass them to humans. Living, working, or playing in contaminated soil can lead to respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and other health problems. Diseases caused by soil pollution include Irritation of the skin and the eyes, Headaches, nausea, vomiting, Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.”
More Pollution...
Almost all lakes have some form of pollution and/or toxic lakebeds, which when the lake dries up the lakebed is exposed and is very harmful for humans to breathe. More lakes and rivers are drying up than ever before because of the harmful impact that humans have had on this earth stemming from science and technology.
The ozone layer is opening more every single day from the human technological impact on the world. Less developed countries than the United States still purposely pollute the ocean and land because there are no regulations against it. By using agricultural chemicals and irrigating from lakes, By furthering pollution and technology that causes pollution, we are consciously contributing to the death of our planet.
The water supply, which is the only one Earth will ever get, is treated carelessly. Recent regulations have come up to stop ocean, lake, and river pollution but so much damage has already been done. In third world countries they have no regulations and pretty much just throw trash overboard. In each country every regulation is different, but we need to remember that there is only one Earth, there is only so much damage you can do before it’s too late.
Examples of human carelessness with our water supply
(Salt Lake, Utah)
#1 Salt Lake, Utah
The example of Salt Lake is a big lesson that we will learn as a society. Irrigation and pollution have ravaged the biggest Salt Lake in the western hemisphere. Salt Lake has lost 73% of its water and 60% of its surface area since 1850. Science and Technology is killing the Earth and making it more toxic for humans, as the lakebed is filled with toxins and the people around Salt Lake will be breathing that in for decades to come once it dries up. This is also the case with the Salton Sea and other bodies of water around the world. Salt Lake is given about five years more until it is totally dried up. Salt Lake becoming a polluted toxic lake is a prime example of the dangers of science and technology.
(The Salton Sea, California)
#2 The Salton Sea, California
The Salton Sea, on the other hand, was a popular lake to go to for recreational water sports and vacation in the 1950’s. But in the last twenty-five years the Salton Sea has become California’s most polluted inland lake.
Like Salt Lake, the Salton Sea is as its name states, a Salt Lake. Not only just another Salt Lake, but another Salt Lake that is drying up at an alarming rate.
The Salton Sea also has a very toxic lakebed, like Salt Lake in Utah. The issue of toxic lakebeds is huge. When the wind picks up everyone in the area is breathing in very toxic particles. This can cause asthma and other serious health issues.
There are now cleanup programs and other groups trying to reverse the pollution and drying of these salt lakes, but it may be too late.
There is talk of turning the Salton Sea into a lithium economic hub to help reshape the economy by mining lithium. This would just further the problem of pollution and this would expose the toxic lakebed as well. It might be too late for Earth to repel a totally toxic amount of pollution.
(The Colorado River, somewhere in Utah)
#3 The Colorado River
Rivers are also drying up due to climate change, pollution, and irrigation. The Colorado River is said to dry up somewhere down in Mexico.
The Colorado River has been drying up since 2000, but it’s been more intense since 2020. Many major news sources say that it’s climate change that is causing the river to dry up.
If the Colorado River doesn’t recover from their historic drought, it could be a huge problem, considering that the river is a critical component of water supply in the area.
The Colorado River is also one of the most important systems in the country, it supplies drinking water for up to forty million people in the United States as well as two states in Mexico. here is minimal habitat for wildlife which is causing decreasing numbers in animal population. With human greed comes consequences, and we are already seeing them.
(The Rio Grande near El Paso)
#4 The Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is also drying up due to climate change. It seems that most rivers and lakes in the southwest are. Recently the Rio Grande has dried up near Albuquerque despite high rainfall and heavy snow runoff. The heat is so bad that it is drying up the river.
Besides climate change, there is also the issue of extreme pollution. Reports have been made that there are diseases in the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, like E. coli. Officials have even said to be cautious when swimming in the Rio Grande if you want to take a chance at exposing yourself to harsh chemicals and toxins.
The state of New Mexico doesn’t have enough funds to check the levels of the Rio Grande each year, so they check it around every 7-8 years. This causes concerns for the residents who live among the Rio Grande as they wonder how toxic the river really is.
The New York Times says, “Higher temperatures cause more snowpack to transform to water vapor, which then escapes into the atmosphere, rather than turning to liquid and running into rivers.”
Which means the annual snowfall from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado is pretty much considered useless at times in filling the Rio Grande.
Conclusion
Are the benefits of science and technology worth destroying our earth? In just a few hundred years of advanced technology and this is the shape that Earth is in. If we as the people of Earth don’t take a stand now then it may be too late to later. We only get one earth, all of the money on this planet could never save this planet. We need to treat our world better.
I was aware of a lot of the pollution the planet was suffering from, but I really didn't know about a lot of the problems with the lakes! I think that section is a standout, it's very powerful. It's bad enough that we're losing such important resources and landmarks, but the fact that the pollution is doubling down to bring harm to people like how you said with the Salton Sea is even worse!
Your paper really put things into perspective such as the different types of pollution, and soil pollution was something that I never really connected. I do see and agree with your point as science and technology is a double edged sword where it has come to benefit yet also hinder us in the long run. I do like that recently our generations have been more conscious about the environment and I hope it continues so that our earth can reduce in pollution.
I never realized that so many bodies of water are drying up now, especially very well known ones. Like how the Salt Lake in Utah could possibly be gone in 5 years. We really need to find ways to take better care of our Earth soon.
I'll just echo what Amanda, Vaisnave, and Raquel have said in their comments: it's tragic and scary how much damage we've done and likely will continue to do to our natural resources. We need fundamental change at a global level—and we need to hold corporations and governments accountable for their role in this.
It is so sad to know that all of this could have been avoided. This is all due to human error and now we are to far gone to really help the earth properly heal.