Ecosphere versus Technosphere in Making Peace with the Planet by Barry Commoner essays

Ecosphere versus Technosphere in Making Peace with the Planet by Barry Commoner essays The emergence of the Industrial Revolution in the history of humankind has brought about significant changes that greatly altered the way human society lived. Through the Industrial Revolution, technologies that were never conceived to influence the way people accomplish their activities, making them easier and faster to do, have begun developing by the turn of 19th until the present century. Furthermore, technological inventions and innovations made possible the mass production of materials and gadgets that are mainly run by electricity, as well as plastics and other materials made up of man-made substances and chemicals. However, the birth of new technological development in human society has also endangered one aspect of human life that is, perhaps, the most essential element that keeps human beings alive on planet Earth. The deterioration of the environment is the main issue that is prevalently talked about regarding the disadvantages of the industrial and technological revolutions in human society. This issue is broadly addressed in Barry Commoner's book, entitled, Making Peace with the Planet. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the biological, geographical, and social dynamics of environmental deterioration due to technologies created by humans produced at an increasingly faster rate now compared to two centuries ago. In the book, Commoner posits that conflict between the environment and technologies mass produced by human society is the primary reason why the environment is deteriorating, and that "ecologically sound technologies" are the solution to prevent and eventually eliminate the environmental problem that humans are facing today. In discussing the issue of environmental crisis in the planet (Earth), Commoner centers on the aspect of technology as the primary catalyst that led to the problem of environmental degradation. The author argu...