The benefits of technological and environmental intersection
You’ve gone camping with your family or a group of friends. You’ve unpacked, set up your tent, the sun has set, and the lot of you are chatting around the bonfire. Someone from your group states very generally,
“Ah, there’s really nothing like the great outdoors. It’s nice to finally put technology aside and get in tune with nature.” And to a certain degree they’re right.
During a time where technology and electronics have been assimilated into every aspect of our lives, it can undoubtedly be refreshing to disconnect for a moment and embrace the sort of lifestyle that led our ancestors to this very point in time - Idealistically, it makes sense. However, the dichotomy does not have to be a complete binary. The narrative of Technology vs Environment is old and tired.
What I mean by this is - while we’re living during a time where technology has almost become a symbiotic part of our biology - we’re also living during a time where technology is making attempts to bring us closer to the environment. Imagine a world where people were GPS did not exist. How much more difficult would it be to find a place to hike, or go off of the beaten path and camp - and would we be as inclined to preserve other animal species if we did not have an opportunity to see them, hear them, know their scent, and unconsciously recognize their existence and place on the earth. Would our ancestors knowledge and history be as accessible to the general public without phone apps like “The Night Sky”?
We’re living during a time where a portable water filter can preserve a life in less than ideal circumstances where one is without their own source of clean water. A time where it’s been psychologically proven that listening to nature sounds can improve focus and productivity as well as reducing stress and anxiety.
The big take away here is that technology is helping to give the majority a better understanding of nature and it’s role in sustaining not only human life but also the lives of every other living creature. In other words, it doesn’t have to, and it simply can’t be one or the other.
