How technology has changed our relationship with nature
The prevailing contemporary era has brought us to the twilight of two modern phenomenon-destruction of nature and the growth of technology. We all know how nature is necessary for our well-being. Interacting with it makes us learn ways to foster relations with others, not in ascendancy over others. You cannot control the flying patterns of the birds or the winds. We cannot help the moon rise above or change the path of a bear walking.
But technology has made us think that we can dominate nature rather than being in relationship with people and the natural world as we know it. Through VRs, nature videos and digital showcases of mother earth, we are pleasing ourselves and calming our minds. But we aren’t able to actually feel the cold breeze or bright sunlight in our closed spaces. Thanks to the dependency on technology, we are going far away from nature.
Impact of technology on nature
We all know the paradoxical effect of technology on our natural world. The industrial revolution has given rise to new powers and various manufacturing processes are erupting in almost every country. This has resulted in misuse and damage of our natural habitat. Take air pollution as the biggest example. An excessive amount of gases going into the atmosphere are not just damaging the quality of air but also bringing a larger risk for humanity-the global warming. An increased amount of greenhouse gasses are trapping thermal energy beneath the earth’s atmosphere, causing the temperature to sore a few degrees every year.
Water pollution is also a big concern, thanks to today’s technological advancements. Waste products from manufacturing plants are going into the ocean for continuous years and polluting the water. There have been several marine species that became extinct in the last few decades because of this reason.
Various natural resources are also depleting due to the negative impact of technology. Deforestation, mining for fossil fuels, contamination of sources, soil erosion and many other factors are paving the way to a threatful future.
How technology can help protect nature
If we rather take the positive approach, we can realize the ways technology can help us. But it should not divert our minds from valuing nature. Technology, fostered with the right approach, can help us save the environment and nature. This doesn’t mean copying nature’s atmosphere in a closed environment. It rather signifies ways we can save resources, track endangered animals, use drones to monitor the health of the forests and much more.
Blockchain technology
Using blockchain technology, illegal fishing and slave labor can be identified and acted upon. This is very prominent in countries like New Zealand and Fiji where illegal tuna fishing is declining the species from the face of the earth. The technology can help the consumers keep track of the journey of the tuna fish, revolutionizing the certification systems. It also helps in traceability using satellite data. GPS tracking devices can help detect the routes of global vessel traffic.
Nature Remote sensing
The process helps world entities to identify illegal activities in ecologically-sensitive areas. Through this technology, the impact of industrialization can be evaluated on the ground over critically endangered areas and heritage sites. Recently, NASA’s involvement has led to the development of an algorithm that can quickly detect illegal deforestation with the help of remote sensing data. If this technology can be expanded, it can lead to various positive effects on the environment.
Drones for illegal logging
Protection of the forests of the world has never been so important as it is today. When we protect forests, we are protecting wildlife and people, offering them the resources to survive. Drones can act as the eyes of these lands and help detect any illegal activities. The World Research Institute has recently developed a technology called Global Forest Watch that can monitor the forests online and alert the system on any suspicious activity. The technology lets anyone in this world view the data about the forests of the world in a jitter. Anyone can create custom maps and analyze forest graphs using this technology. You can even subscribe to the alerts and download data from the entire world.
Thermal imaging for poaching
For years, rangers have been outnumbered by the number of poachers that keep pouring in from distant areas of the world. But now, the tide is changing, thanks to thermal imaging technology. The rangers can catch poachers easily using video cameras equipped with thermal imaging technology. The government can record data and deter many poachers even before they kill an animal. There have been technological inventions to reduce the number of wildlife traffickers as well. Various e-commerce portals and social media companies are playing their part to detect the sale of illegal wildlife products that come as a result of killing endangered species.
Artificial intelligence
Tracking wildlife has been a major challenge for the government over the past few decades. But Artificial intelligence could be the answer to the problem. With this technology, we can protect wildlife and natural habitats. The tracking can be done automatically and even the health of the endangered animals can be monitored using AI bands. The technology can also detect any threat to the area using sensors and automated notification systems.
Concluding
Technology is surely a threat to our relationship with nature. But we can turn it into an advantage if used cautiously. It is high time we realize that technology is fast, flexible and punishing whereas nature is kind, lovable and forgiving. Combining these two is not an easy task and hence, it becomes important for us to realize the importance of this unity. Since technology is man-made, it is a bit ego-driven. When we comprehend this, we shall be able to use technology for the betterment of nature.
We need to teach our younger generation to be kind and balanced with wisdom. Shifting planet earth towards a better tomorrow can only be done if we take control of our inventions and harness it to save nature. Letting go of fossil fuels, deforestation, poaching and many other such gree-oriented approaches will help foster a sympathetic relationship between humanity and nature as it was centuries ago.
Author: abhishek tuteja
Content writer with sky in eyes and nature in heart, living life learning each lesson per day.
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