{"id":10335,"date":"2022-02-22T12:56:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T12:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1381045"},"modified":"2022-02-22T12:56:33","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T12:56:33","slug":"forget-ai-and-5g-its-low-tech-solutions-that-will-help-our-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=10335","title":{"rendered":"Forget AI and 5G, it\u2019s low-tech solutions that will help our planet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s a popular idea that the path to sustainability<\/a> lies in high-tech solutions. By making everyday items like cars electric<\/a>, and installing smart systems to monitor and reduce energy use, it seems we\u2019ll still be able to enjoy the comforts to which we\u2019ve become accustomed while doing our bit for the planet \u2013 a state known as \u201cgreen growth<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

But the risks of this approach are becoming ever clearer. Many modern technologies use materials like copper, cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements. These metals<\/a> are in devices like cell phones, televisions, and motors. Not only is their supply finite, but large amounts of energy<\/a> are required for their extraction and processing \u2013 producing significant emissions.<\/p>\n

Plus, many of these devices are inherently difficult<\/a> to recycle. This is because to make them, complex mixes of materials are created, often in very small quantities. It\u2019s very expensive to collect and separate them for recycling.<\/p>\n

Among others, these limitations have led some to question the high-tech direction our society is taking \u2013 and to develop a burgeoning interest in low-tech solutions<\/a>. These solutions prioritize simplicity and durability, local manufacture, as well as traditional or ancient techniques.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, low-tech solutions often focus on conviviality. This involves encouraging social connections, for example through communal music or dance<\/a>, rather than fostering the hyper-individualism encouraged by resource-hungry digital devices.<\/p>\n

\u201cLow-tech\u201d does not mean a return to medieval ways of living. But it does demand more discernment in our choice of technologies \u2013 and consideration of their disadvantages.<\/p>\n

Origins of low-tech<\/h2>\n

Critics have proclaimed the downsides<\/a> of excessive technology for centuries, from 19th century Luddites<\/a> to 20th-century writers<\/a> like Jacques Ellul and Lewis Mumford. But it was the western energy crisis<\/a> in the 1970s that really popularised these ideas.<\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a>Low-tech emphasizes efficiency and simplicity. Image: CityHarvestNY\/Wikimedia<\/figcaption>