Environmental Pollution and Technological Solutions
Environmental Pollution: A Global Challenge
Many people argue about the increasing levels of pollution. It is often said that this is a necessary price for progress. However, in my view, this is a complex issue with no easy solutions. Firstly, it is clear that pollution has been increasing over the years. While it is true that progress often comes with environmental costs, we must also consider the long-term consequences. On the one hand, pollution poses a significant threat to our planet, but on the other hand, many believe that economic development depends on it.
The Difficulties in Solving Pollution
Pollution and damage to the environment are worldwide issues that are very difficult to solve. There are many reasons why. For example, if we take a look at transport, we will see that it mainly relies on very polluting fossil fuels. The ideal solution would be to replace it with less polluting energies such as electricity, but this process takes time. In the meantime, we cannot ask countries to stop using fossil fuels because their economies would collapse.
Something similar happens with the rivers and the seas. They are being contaminated by industries that discharge chemicals and plastics. But is it possible to stop industries from producing chemicals and plastics? I would say that it is possible to slowly reduce the amounts of pollutants released into the environment, but not to completely eliminate them until there are new technologies that allow us to replace them with less polluting products.
Therefore, in my opinion, if governments and industries do not get more involved, it is only possible to solve these problems in the long run by implementing new technologies that can reduce pollution and its harmful effects.
Technology’s Impact on Youth
Before addressing the question of what is better for young people, we should remind ourselves that it’s impossible to imagine our life without computers and television.
The Internet’s Influence
On the other hand, it’s impossible to imagine our life without computers and television. With the help of computers, young people can meet new friends, find out a lot of information, and take part in forums and discussions. Surfing the Internet needs imagination, logical thinking, and knowledge. Young people are able to choose what they want to watch, read, or listen to, and the choice is practically unlimited. Television can’t give such an opportunity.
The Dark Side of the Internet
This is precisely the crux of the problem. There are plenty of free sites with content whose content is far from moral. Many computer games encourage cruelty. And the idea that, by spending time in Internet’s chat rooms, young people develop their social skills is problematic. If only it were the case! But getting used to the Internet’s rules of communication, they might find it difficult to face up to reality and make friends in the real world.
For my part, I spend a lot of time on my computer (learning English and working). But when I want to relax, I’d rather watch TV with my friends than while away the time sitting alone in front of the computer!
Television’s Influence on Culture
Undoubtedly, television has had a great influence on the cultural development of Spanish society.
The Positive Side of Television
- Television has made it possible for everyone to obtain knowledge and information which otherwise would have been impossible to get.
- Think, for example, about the people who live in very isolated areas of the Spanish territory.
- It has provided entertainment and fun to many generations for a lot of years.
The Negative Side of Television
- The growth of the TV audience has meant that a significant amount of people have lost their reading habits, making it difficult for them to build their own thoughts properly, and, therefore, losing originality and creativity.
As children are the most vulnerable group influenced by television, it is very important that parents control how much and what they watch on TV in order to make sure that kids acquire viewing skills.
In conclusion, in my opinion, the negative effects of television on Spanish cultural development can only be counteracted by limiting the amount of hours children and adults watch television. A good rule of thumb could be watching our favorite programs no more than three hours a week.