One more con from Big Tech

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the environmental impact of technological innovations, highlighting how they often start off with a high level of environmental destruction (around 80 on a scale of 0 to 100) and then gradually improve over time, with the media and politicians often prematurely labeling them as "green", "clean", and "sustainable" even when they are still highly destructive (around 58 on the scale). The article criticizes this trend and calls for more journalists to expose the environmental fraud perpetrated by big tech companies.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Environmental Impact of Technological Innovations

1. What is the scale used to measure the environmental impact of technological innovations?

• The article uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents something that is natural, organic, and genuinely sustainable, and 100 represents the most extreme inorganic, toxic technology.

2. How do technological innovations typically start off on this scale?

• Typical technological innovations start off around 80 on the scale, as the primary driver for technological innovators is the advancement of the innovating company's stock price, rather than the advancement of the environment.

3. How do technological innovations progress on the scale over time?

• After the initial high of the innovation breakthrough, the innovators start to focus more on efficiency improvements, which can bring the environmental impact down to a "truly horrible" 70.
• Through public or commercial pressure, the environmental impact may continue to improve, with the media and politicians often prematurely labeling the technology as "green", "clean", and "sustainable" even when it is still highly destructive (around 58 on the scale).

4. What is the author's critique of this process?

• The author argues that no product should go beyond 10 on the environmental destruction scale, but because big tech companies start at a horrendous 80 and then get it down to an "incredibly destructive" 58, they are able to claim that their technology is "green", "clean", and "sustainable".
• The author questions why more journalists are not exposing this "total environmental fraud" perpetrated by big tech companies.

[02] Potential Solutions for Sustainable Digital Technology

1. What does the article suggest can be done to make digital technology more sustainable?

• The article does not provide specific solutions, but it mentions that the article includes "Interviews with prominent thinkers outlining what can be done to make digital as sustainable as possible."