Environmental Issues

Environmental conservation has been a major issue of concern in major national and international forums due to the seriousness as well as the magnitude of the environmental problem of global warming which is threatening the very future of the globe. Global warming is caused by rampant industrial activities and lifestyles which pollute the environment by emitting dangerous gases and destroying the ozone layer.
     This has called for discussion on how a sustainable society can be achieved by the year 2050. The initial major step to prevent global warming was taken by the Kyoto Protocol which came into effect in Feb.16, 2005. The protocol observed that there was need to reduce greenhouse emissions drastically in order to save the globe and thus ensure our own future survival. It is important to note that this year an environmental conference will be held in Copenhagen at governmental level for the last time before the Kyoto protocol which ends in 2012 and can be reviewed (Fujimoto J. et al n.d).
    It has been noted that for conservation efforts to succeed, information communication technology (ICT) needs to be incorporated in order to come up with innovative ways of effecting change that would reduce the emission of the gases that bring about global warming. To do this, ICT has to be integrated at policy formulation level and long term strategies sought to guide the implementation of the policy to achieve a low greenhouse gas emission society. In future and with the help of technology, we may be able to see a self sustaining society that naturally produces the energy it uses, harvests its water and produces its own food (Retail Futures 2022)
Environmental influence of ICT
    One of the major positive environmental influences of ICT is its role in reducing resource and energy consumption through dematerialization and improvement of efficiency. Dematerialization means replacing normally used materials such as newspapers, books, compact discs and plastics with electronic means of disseminating the information that was previously disseminated through manual means.
     Such a step would have a positive ripple effect. For example, the need for transportation required to move these materials from place to place would be eliminated because the materials would be transmitted electronically. In this regard, efficiency would be improved since factors such as loss of materials during transportation and time consumed in the journey would be a thing of the past.  Similarly, Use of engine driven vehicles would be unnecessary leading to a reduction of the carbon gas that would usually be emitted into the environment by such vehicles. With the current scramble for alternatives for the combustion engine, it is possible that in future the combustion engine may actually be replaced entirely. Research is underway at the Fraunhofer Institute of Ceramic Technology to develop fuel cells that may well revolutionize the way engines are made (Pearson  Neild 2006).
Renewable energy
    Renewable energy sources are those sources which cannot be depleted and have the capacity to replenish naturally. Renewable energy sources include wind energy, geothermal energy, hydro-power, bio-energy and hydrogen.
    Geothermal energy is generated from the heat found deep in the earths crust. This form of energy is tapped and used for electricity generation or heating homes. It is clean and poses no threat to the environment.
    Hydro-power is generated from water in rivers and used to provide power to many industries and energy for domestic purposes. This form of energy is also clean and renewable. Solar energy on the other hand is tapped from the sun and used to provide electricity, heat water and power other machines such as mobile phones. These illustrations serve to show the importance of renewable energy sources and how it conserves the environment because it is clean.
    The United States face a serious energy shortage in future due to rapid population growth and consequently high energy needs. This will further affect the environment adversely because the higher the population, the higher the rate of carbon emissions into the environment. This phenomenon can only be tackled by embracing the use of renewable energy to meet new energy demand (Fujimoto J. et al n.d). Further measures to curb the rate of carbon emissions should be put in place to check the amount of carbon emissions by integrating ICT in the daily lives of individuals.
    Modern advances in technology and meteorological innovations have come up with devices that can detect storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes with a high level of accuracy so that people can be warned in advance before the tragedy happens. (Conrad 1996) In the United States, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is mandated to issue warnings before the onset of severe weather conditions that are dangerous to human survival. This organization has saved many lives by informing those who live in the affected area to vacate the area well in advance before tragedy strikes.
    Carbon footprint refers to the average personal carbon dioxide emissions for an individual either through body emissions or involvement in activities that emit carbon into the atmosphere. In the developed world, the average personal carbon dioxide emissions are 9.675 metric tons per year (Bassett, L. 2000). These emissions come from personal energy usage through car travel, commuter transport and air flights. Such gases affect the rays of the sun and lead to global warming. To offset the carbon emissions one emits into the atmosphere, one should make it a personal duty to plant trees to absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and consequently reduce activities that emit carbon into the atmosphere.