THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH
Technology is a major part of everyone’s life. Technological advances are encountered at home, school and at work. These technological advances have become so helpful to people lives. Every year new technologies appear to help people to live more comfortable by allowing them to do more with less effort. That’s why expressions such as “I do not know what I would do without the washing machine” or “I could not live without my cell phone” are heard more frequently. They imply that life would be hard to live with the lack of new technologies, however, it becomes ironic because life is already at risk due to technology. Making technological advances and preserving the environment and human health will not be possible because of the pollution resulting of the waste output, the depletion of natural resources and the global warming resulting of the emission of carbon dioxide.
To begin with, the waste output of the new technologies pollutes the lands, the water and the air of the earth. An average computer screen contains up to 8 pounds of lead and 2 to 5 percent of the trash in American landfills belong to electronics waste. These old electronics can spill toxins such as lead, mercury and lithium into the environment. According to the center for Disease Control and Prevention can cause disorders and joint pain in adults, as well as, brain damage and anemia in children. Moreover, the mining of Neodymium,