In the lecture the first speaker talks about one of the priorities changes in the world the climate change. He mentions that there is an increase of carbon dioxide being emitted to the atmosphere each year with the next year higher than the previous year with the coal consumption increasing.
He talked about how to response to climate change and the actions to be taken. The responses are by switching to alternative energy which does not produce carbon dioxide and also fuel efficiency and conservation. Actions that can be taken are to capture and store carbon dioxide below 2750m under sea water, increase taxes and reduce emission of carbon dioxide. With every individual saving electric, use public transport instead of personal transports and other more, it can contribute to the big picture of reducing the effect of global warming.
Lastly he mention that reducing solar input to the earth, by building mirror in the space or putting sulphur into the atmosphere to reflect more sun light back to space. This can be done by a few countries like China, Russian and American. But because of political will, none of this has been done.
The second speaker talks about science and technology studies (STS) on how technologies are being change due to culture, social and political.
By culture, last time people are not acceptance of everything but now people are looking at social consideration defining technology. By social, peoples view to choose to keep for example even a product is better than another product but is not like by the people, it will be deserted. By political, flawed expectations, variable incentives, varying standards and underfunded R&D
He then touches on public apathy and misunderstanding, consumption and abundance, psychological resistance, aesthetic and environmental concerns that affects the technologies in many ways. By this reason, he showed us that we chosen the technologies that are harmful to the environment. He also makes clear to us that technologies also changes by the challenges of technical, economic, political, social and cultural.
In his conclusion, how STS methods provide a useful lens to evaluate new technologies.
In the closing stages of the lecture, the last speaker also touches on climate change but more in detail of the causes, consequences and examples of reducing the effect of global warming.
He talked about the gases which are emitted by greenhouse effect which rise the temperature of the earth. He shown us the evidence that global warming is really happening and the scientific prediction consensus about future global temperature changes.
He listed and explained the consequences of global warming like extinctions, intense storms and hurricanes, rising sea levels and more. He also showed us the difficulties in dealing with climate change. He lastly talked about how an individual and government can do about global warming. An individual can save electric, use public transport, reduce wasted and more. Government can increase carbon taxes, subsidize energy efficient technologies; regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant and more.
The common message brought across to me is human beings are a very big factor to the issue of global warming. Even with solution presented to us, we still walk the path to destruction and death. We the human being now must change, if not now than when our earth can be save so that we can be save. It is everyone affects that counts.
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The summary of the three lecturers is very good. However, there are some sentences that for me sound incomplete, for example, "In his conclusion, how STS methods provide a useful lens to evaluate new technologies". You end this with a full stop. However when I read this, it feels like you should put a coma instead of a full stop. I suggest if you want to end the sentence you might write, "In his conclusion, he showed how STS methods provide a useful lens to evaluate new technologies."
ReplyDeleteGreat conclusion! Especially the last two sentences, we the human being must start changing our lifestyle to save our earth. Some of us might ask; how can we help? Everyone can help a little by changing their daily lifestyle, for example, use less heat and air conditioning, drive less and drive smart and so on.
ReplyDeleteI agree that you ended your post memorably. However, there were some parts that I had a hard time understanding. To tell the truth, if I hadn't attended Sovacool's lecture, I wouldn't understand what you wrote about it. Part of this reason is that you had some Singlish like "last time people." Try to avoid phrases like this in more formal academic writing.
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