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The environmental impact of the electronically revolutionized society

The Moore’s Law is going to change! No, no, there’s no need to get shocked, but the fact is that technological revolution has picked up a greater pace than Moore’s prediction. Whatsoever, is this revolution really beneficial for the whole of the mankind? More importantly is it harmless enough for the environment? As people take loans to own the best electronics equipments, and then use their latest expensive smartphones to search for debt consolidation loans, it becomes important to sit down and assess the impact of the digital revolution.

While having the most recent and most prominent electronic gadgets can be fun, important, or both, our dependence on having them takes a toll on this planet and as a result on the mankind too. Tremendous measures of crude, frequently constrained, resources are utilized to manufacture these gadgets.

Also, there are serious levels of pains taken to plan, integrate, package, dispatch, and deliver them far and wide to the buyers. It’s known to all, but requires a mention, that a huge number of gadgets are substituted once, twice, perhaps even thrice each year by users seeking for something more advanced.

This culminates in lot of dangerous household garbage pools that are regularly and ignorantly tossed in the trashcan. When it gets hard to recycle electronic waste with care, it emanates toxic byproducts that seep into the soil, degrading the quality of water and food in a substantial fashion. Thus, it is the need of the hour to reuse electronic gadgets in a rational way.

Words fall short to describe the irreparable hazards that e-waste causes to the environment; but statistics have to make its way through:

Environmental impact

Huge amount—approximately a 40 million metric tons—of electronic waste are dissipated internationally every year, and around 13 percent of that mass is reused, that is also generally in developing nations. An approximate of 9 million tons of this waste—disposed of TVs, PCs, mobile phones, and other electronic accessories are manufactured by the European Union, as per the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). What’s more shocking is that, UNEP suggests that this estimate of electronic garbage is lower than the actual amount.

Casual recycling markets in China, Pakistan, India, Philippines, and the Vietnam operate on anywhere in the range of 50 percent to 80 percent of this electronic waste, regularly smashing, combusting, and disassembling the items in “backyards.” Radiations from these reusing practices are disturbing to the human wellbeing and the nature as well.

The casual sector’s irresponsible reusing practices amplify the chances of health hazards. For instance, direct and indirect exposure to harmful metals, for example, lead, is experienced while burning it in open-air (without precautions) to extract precious elements like gold. Incomplete combustion of e-waste gives rise to fine and discrete particulate matter, which result in pulmonary diseases and cardiac arrests.

While the resulting health hazards of e-waste are hard to handle because of the lack of facilities and equipment, poverty, and poor hygiene, a few studies in Guiyu—a city located in southeastern China—show the actual results to threaten you. Guiyu is renowned for being the biggest e-waste reusing site on the planet, and the city’s inhabitants display considerable respiratory, neurological, digestive, and bone issues. As the statistics shows, 80 percent of Guiyu’s youngsters experience respiratory diseases, and are particularly proposed victims of lead poisoning.

Social impact

Not just does the irrational addiction to gadgets hurt the nature, yet it is very likely to cause damage to human relationships as well. It’s often observed that kids get so addicted to video games and stuffs, that they become oblivious of what their parents or their friends are saying at the time of gaming; sometimes they intentionally do these things. Taking these manifestations casually will harm you at the future. Because addiction to electronics make people care less about relationships and human bonding. It’s dangerous to think that your gadget will suffice for the human warmth all through your life, and if the symptoms are seen, you should take your loved one to see a psychiatrist at once. Must Check this medical billing company for the same.

Physical Health

Technology is adorable to many. But adoration and addiction reside on two extreme poles. Without using technology, you can’t survive in today’s world. From workplace to connections, everywhere technology plays a vital role. But the concern is about how it affects the human mind and soul.

In the early 90s many of the kids used to watch Cartoon Network. But they had favorite slots, and they were not given to watch the channel all day long. But today’s kids can play the same game again and again throughout the day and as the levels get higher they tend to get more involved, almost drowning into the reality of the game rather than the social one. So it’s both a social and psychological crisis. Moreover video-gaming does not benefit anyone with a higher intellect or innovative thinking, rather it dulls the mind repeating an unreal sequence, programming the kids’ minds in a mechanical manner.

Relationships

Believe it or not adults are prone to much serious dangers than the kids. But today’s kids are the future adults as well.

In a cafeteria or a waiting lounge, people tend to check mails and notifications on Facebook rather than observing the people surrounding or the ambiance. This social alienation is happening because of social networking. Isn’t it paradoxical? But whatever it is, it’s definitely the stark reality.

Haven’t you ever seen a couple, both of them ogling at their mobile screens? Then, what’s the point of this ‘socialization’ when you are unable to communicate with the person you care for? What’s the point if you cannot find any time for your family and loved ones, just being ‘socially networked’?

Another thing has become more often, and poses a threat to the entire humanity. People post the images of the foods they’ve ordered in a restaurant, rather than enjoying it at the very first place. A lot of ‘selfies’, affection showcased, but where is the very personal space? Isn’t it getting dissipated day by day competing with all these publicity stunts? It’s time to think and rethink again. Because the warmth of a touch from your lover is still (and will always be) irreplaceable by a touch on your mobile screen!

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