Environmental Ethics

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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replaced by those which are manual or based on solar, wind, tide or other forms of natural energies and others which are environment friendly. Most of the technologies create problems and new ones developed to solve these also create problems and there is an unending technology trap e.g. water pollution. Water is polluted as an impact of polluting industrial and agricultural technologies and then technologies to purefy water are evolved which also need industries adding and accentuating pollution, necessitating newer and newer technologies. Similar is the story in case of pollution of air and soil. The most harmful effect of pollution is on the health of people domestic and wild animals, plants and all other life forms. The remedial measures need more and more pharmaceutical, instrumental appliances and other industries which further aggravate pollution. However the technologies that conform to the principal of utilisation of natural resources within their carrying capacities are not at all harmful. Of course development of technologies is a continuous process and is an essential ingredient for human progress but these should be within the ambit of the cardinal principal of symbiosis.
Galloping Consumerism :
The consumption levels are increasing by leaps and bounds. The thrust of alluring and sensuous advertisements through audiovisual electronic media is polluting the minds of young and old for more and more consumption. The production of more and more consumer goods ultimately puts stress on natural resources soil, water, minerals etc. and these are getting depleted faster than ever before. It requires 1000 tonnes of water to produce 1 tonne of steel. A 1000 megawatt thermal power plant of 40% efficiency heats up 10 million litres of water by 35°C. This suffocates fish and other fauna and is harmful to aquatic flora also. Construction, of 24 kg computer along with 27cm cathod ray tube requires 230 kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg chemicals, 1500 kg of water. To produce 32 Mb DRAM memory chip it requires 1.7 kg fossil fuel and chemicals and 32 kg of water. The requirement of water and energy
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