Technology on Earth Day
Unless you’ve been under a rock for 10 years, you know TV has changed. Not just what you see at home, or how it looks, but everything about it. Practically everything we do has changed due to technology. We have USB powered lamps, i toasters, i dogs, i kids, and anything else you can add an i to. We are connected in ways we never imagined 10 years ago. People will walk out of the house with no pants on before they leave their cell phone at home.
I have always tried to push new technology just to see what it can do. I’m not afraid of the dark one bit, but I am afraid of what’s “in” the dark! I like being in control more than being controlled. Technology has a way of taking over our lives and controlling us. That is not the place I want to be in. I want to use technology to make my life better, and use it to help others.
One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1980 hit “The Gods Must Be Crazy“. If you’ve never seen it, you’re missing a great treat. A small village in the “Kalahari desert encounters technology for the first time–in the shape of a Coke bottle”. For a while it became a valuable tool, then quickly becomes a major issue for the villagers. The exploits of these people contrasted with the technology of “modern man” is hilarious and should make you think.
Think about what? Well, actually think. I mean, we now have apps for everything. Hungry? They have an app to tell you what to eat. Need to know what song is playing on the radio? Yep, there’s an app for that. Don’t know what an app is? There’s an app for that, too. We have little reason to use our brains these days, except to double click on something.
Yes I fully understand Digital Russ pays his bills from technology, and I use technology to pay those bills. I know all my passwords, but I can’t tell you what my phone number is without thinking about it a second or two. I am connected, plugged in and turned on 24/7. It’s not fully my choice though. I do have an obligation to keep the transmitters on the air for you folks, and resolve issues at the studio that may affect what we put out on the air. The transmitter sends text alerts when it has a problem. (Actually dozens of text messages describing each little thing out of whack). That’s not a complaint since I’ve always been on call 24/7 my whole career in broadcasting. It comes with the territory.
I did have a moment of Zen Saturday about technology as I was enjoying a peaceful rest on the deck after successfully completing the “hunny do list” for the day. There I was, sitting in the shade with my feet propped up with ear-buds playing a crazy mix of MP3 songs, sending tweets on the Blackberry when I realized suddenly that I needed to get off the grid. When I unplugged, I heard birds singing, children playing, and the gentle breeze in the trees. Even the freshly mowed weeds in my lawn smelled better. (They are green, what do I care if there’s less grass than weeds, it looks good from a distance when it’s trimmed!)
Kermit the Frog sang “It’s Not Easy Being Green”, and true that being different is difficult, being green in the modern techno world can be easy though. Buy electronics with the “Energy Star” rating. Dispose of electronics responsibly. (Best Buy has in-store recycling centers for your old used electronics) Never throw electronics in the regular trash. Batteries can be disposed of at Batteries Plus Stores.
Even the obvious “stay home and watch TV” is a green technology. DTV uses far less power to transmit, and modern TV displays use less power than their tube counterparts from a few years back. We can’t seem to live without our gadgets, so we must keep a balance with them, the Earth and Ourselves. There are times you have to pull the plug, and listen to Mother Nature “live” instead of on an MP3 file or DVD. Visit co-workers and business associates face to face instead of sending a tweet, email, or text message. I am usually shocked to call a tech support center and get a real person on the phone instead of a voicemail. Phones are seldom used for conversations these days.
Try to make a conscience effort to use technology to make your life better. Don’t let it control you. When you get angry at something, it means it is controlling you. Don’t get mad, get even and stay balanced with the Earth!
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