Technological Fix

2. What is the role of technology in the management of the contested planet ? a) The impacts of intermediate / appropriate technology with hi-tech megaprojects

b) Role of technology in global issuesc) Chances of technology contributing to a more environmentally sustainable futured) The technological future – convergence or divergence?

Learning Objectives:• Realise that some technological fixes may not be feasible or

desirable• Identify how technology has the potential to fix major

environmental problems

Starter – Virgin Earth Challenge Prize!• Sir Richard Branson and Al

Gore have launched a prize offering a $25 million reward for the best idea to remove 1 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year

• Can you come up with an technological solutions?

The squared-off contours of the boxfish reduce drag and help the fish swim up to six body lengths per second.

Mercedes-Benz bionic concept car.

It’s streamlined body inspired by the boxfish helps to boost it’s fuel efficiency to around 70miles per gallon, thus helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The thorny devil lizard lives in the arid deserts of Australia. The lizard is able to absorb water through its feet and then direct water towards its mouth via channels between its scales.

By carrying out experiments to better understand how this process works, scientists can then invent thorny-devil-inspired devices to help people collect lifesaving water in areas of the world where water is scarce.

The flipper of the humpback whale has nodules on the leading edge giving it a serrated appearance.

Whale inspired blades have been incorporated into wind turbine designs. They are being tested at the Wind Energy Institute of Canada to see if they can help to generate more power at slower speeds than conventional blades, and with less noise

Sharkskin under an electron microscope reveals tooth-like scales. Water races through the microgrooves without tumbling, which reduces friction. The scales also discourage barnacles and algae.

Technological solutions to Global Warming1) Giant sunshade for the Earth – 16

trillion floating disks to reflect solar energy

2) Iron fertilisation of the oceans – encourages blooms of plankton = remove excess C02

3) An artificial volcano – sulphur in large amounts causes enhanced reflection of solar radiation into space = global cooling

4) Artificial Trees – carbon capture via limewater coating to collect the C02

Can technology fix global warming? - Research Task Researcha)The problemsb)The possible solutions of taking C02 out of the

atmosphere and storing itStart by using the BBC science website

www.bbc.co.uk/sn

Assess whether technology to remove C02 from the atmosphere is the technological fix to the problem of global warming?

Plenary – How sustainable?