Plan

© Plan

Technology

To understand how technology can solve many of the Sustainability issues we face and how to bring about this positive change or impacts people in different ways

© Plan

Introduction

•Technology has, undoubtedly, altered our lives radically -but it has not affected many others; and this gap might be growing. The better it makes our lives the greater the gap between us and those without. As the World faces greater environmental problems and we refuse to change our behaviours, technology is the only viable solution. As technology brings us closer together, the benefits in trade, friendships, knowledge are dramatic, but so are the risks that technology could go wrong bringing everything crashing down, or can be used for evil, rather than good.

© Plan

Introduction

•It also places tremendous power in just a few, massive, technology companies. Technology is changing faster and faster and we can barely imagine what our lives will be like in the future, let alone what the World will be like. Technology is all about connecting the World and stimulating growth and new opportunities; though such close interdependence can be dangerous.

© Plan

Key issues:

•1) Developments in technology have historically initially created current environmental problems, because technology was created without bearing in mind direct or indirect consequences on environment. This is partly the fault of the designers and partly the fault of the 'market mechanism' which rewards successful technologies and has not cared about technologies impacts on sustainability. Recently, this has begun to change.

© Plan

Key issues:

•2) Technology can often have negative indirect environmental impacts because technology creates new markets and increases use of others. Newer technology will be more environmentally friendly but most buyers keep older technology. On the other hand, frequently replacing technological products is not sustainable if the old ones become waste.

© Plan

Key issues:

3) Recent changes in technology since World War 2 has been more and more environmentally friendly, but at the same time, so much more of it has been produced/used, and much of the older technology is still in use in developing countries (who have bought the technology). The pressure, until recently, has always been for cheaper products, not more environmentally-friendly products. Now with a system that prices Carbon, there is the beginning of a system that puts a monetary value on 1 element of the environment. If this is successful and can be extended to other elements of the environment, it could alter the pricing systems.

© Plan

Key issues:

4) Technology offers the potential to developing nations to 'leap-frog' over industrialised countries by purchasing/using the newest, cleanest technologies straight away and not going through the process of having older models first, but Intellectual property laws can restrict this by increasing the price of this technology. But withouth being able to charge for the IP of an invention, there is no incentive in creating such an invention!

© Plan

Key issues:

5) Technological change is increasing rapidly and the nature of it is that there are often low market-entrance barriers; meaning any entrepreneur or small company can create a successful product without needing massive investment of time/money etc, sometimes. Also, technological diffusion can be very high; if a product is successful, it can have a big impact by spreading fast. Technology is often the answer to sustainability problems by reducing costs or creating new solutions, e.g. cheaper artificial legs, access to financial services, renewable energy etc

© Plan

Key issues:

6) Telecommunication technologies have had a massive impact on society (especially education, government, economic development, health), from basic technologies like the Telegraph, telephone and fax which helped spread information quicker empowering business, knowledge dissemination, trade and cultural understanding; to other technologies like the TV and Radio that helped the illiterate learn and be entertained; to newer technologies like the Internet, computers and mobile phones that have revolutionised society and information so much. Let alone the new health technologies that have almost doubled life expectancies in many countries!

© Plan

Key issues:

7) Technological progress has created new problems regarding ethics (i.e. abortion, weapons, genetics, privacy, piracy, pornography, spam etc), unequal access to technology, eWaste, health (i.e. radiation, attention-span etc), crime (theft, cyber-crime, cyber meltdown).

8) Technological progress has created huge opportunities to reach people and help people, i.e. disabled people, isolated people, people affected by disasters by bringing them services that were not accessible before. Also created opportunities with Climate Change, work-life balance, transportation, measuring impacts, controlling systems, improving safety etc

© Plan

Key issues:

9) Technological progress has impacts as it changes markets, such as the music, book, newspaper, games, photos, manufacturing, entertainment, shopping, finance industries etc.

© Plan

Relationship to key Sustainable Development concepts:

•Balance: Providing benefits of technology to as many as possible and not leaving others behind. Ensuring increasing quantity of products does not cause more waste. Balance of technology being used for good vs being used for evil

•Long-term: Using technology to provide long-term solutions, but making sure these solutions are still the best ones for the duration of its lifetime.

© Plan

Relationship to values:

•Equality: Equal access to technology. Technology can increase equal access to other services or goods by reducing costs, increasing distribution etc.

•Respect: Technology can break down barriers and help people connect with each other, or provide new ways of exploring and interacting with nature, science etc. Proactively can help minority groups take advantage of technology. When new technology replaces old technology, what happens to people dependent on the old ones.

© Plan

Relationship to values:

•Interdependence: Technology is at the core of connecting everything and everyone together. In this way its potential impact can be significant

•Responsibility: To use technology responsibly, not waste it, or use it to harm others.

© Plan

Discussion questions:

•How can technology solve climate change problems?

•Imagine a world where all the information you ever need is online and instantly accessible. How would this change how you learn -is it good or bad for education?

•Do you want a world where anyone can contact you, locate you and connect with you, any time? What risks and opportunities does this present?

© Plan

Debates:

•This house believes technology has helped increase the poverty gap by helping the rich more than the poor (who cannot afford, reach it)

•This house believes life today would be better without technology

© Plan

Simulations:

•You represent different ministries in the government and you must convince the finance minister to give you $10bn for technology, because you believe the impact it will have is greater than the other ministries (possible ministries: health, education, transportation, commerce, environment, defense etc)

•Representing different stakeholders affected by new technology, simulate the impact of a new disruptive technology (e.g. Videoconferencing, eBook, self-health checker, eTeacher etc)

© Plan

Case Studies:

•Imagine you live on an island and all of a sudden get access to mobile networks. How would you use them?

•How nethope is helping non-profit organisations benefit from technology in helping people

Multimedia:

•Watch 2020 vision and discuss

© Plan

Art/Theatre:

•You represent students from different countries jointly learning and communicating in 10 years. Act how might it be different and what the impact will be.

•Imagine and draw the future: virtual holidays, the end of the office or school etc

•Map out the impacts of home-schooling