Environment Cost of Technology

Disconnection from the Natural World

As the age old adage states, "necessity is the mother of invention." Today, the impact of connectivity through technology and availability of comfort and entertainment creates a rift between man and nature. Less time is spent connecting and learning through nature and more emphasis is placed upon classroom learning and technology. Learning in the classroom is rather a new process, which has shifted from being within a natural environment. Outdoor education has been shown to increase cognitive ability and social skills in people. Unfortunately, children  and their respective parents have become increasingly callous in regards to being in nature, which is more than just seeing it. Technological comforts such as tablets, video game systems, smartphones, etc. generate an atmosphere of entertainment which is more stimulating and immediately satisfying to people. Disconnecting and actively engaging with the natural world reduces stimulus and allows the learning, creative, and explorative mind to view the world; instead of being aimless shown stimulus.  

Smartphone Impact

Aside from the the dangers of social health degradation and radio frequency (RF) radiation,  smart phone manufacturing has a dangers human cost to those involved in the process.

Check these statistics and numbers:

Coltan are contains a heat-resistant substance vital to the capacitors in every smartphone. Up to 80% of the world's coltan reserves lie in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In less than two years of bloody warfare, the Rwandan army made of $250 million stealing coltan from the DR Congo. Tin is the main component of every one of the 7000+ solder points on your tablet. Over one-third of the tin mined in the world comes from Indonesia, where workers die every week in illegal mining operations.

Manufacturing our smartphones takes a heavy toll as well. In 2007, 18 workers attempted suicide at a Foxconn plant—Apple's notorious Chinese manufacturing partner. 43.2% of China's state-monitored rivers are classified as unsuitable for human contact while recycling centers like Guiyu experience 6x higher miscarriage rates, 7/10 children with high blood-lead levels and the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world.

Deadly Cost of Smartphones:

Sources:
http://www.movaluate.com/environmental-impact-of-smartphones
http://blog.greendeals.org/go-green/smart-phones-smart-health-environment/
http://naturalearning.org/sites/default/files/Benefits%20of%20Connecting%20Children%20with%20Nature_InfoSheet.pdf
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/sep/06/outdoor-learning-forest-school-pedagogy