The Challenge of New Technologies
Eric Paulos and Steve Landau
As scientists we struggle to understand, test and envision scenarios of our technological future. But as humans we have a collective higher calling—an ethical responsibility to acknowledge, address and improve our own health, the health of our environment, and promote more sustainable lifestyles. There exists both synergy and tension between the progress of technology and environmental concerns. There is little doubt that technology is able to play a vital role in the positive environmental transformation. But as scientists and citizens in this evolving field of environmental awareness and sustainability, we find more questions than answers. What are the big challenges? Are there standard approaches we can share? What will really matter? And what role will technology play? In this panel we explore the limits, potentials and consequences of new empowering technologies and real environmental change.