Smart Technologies Versus Heroic Choices

Can sustainable development be achieved via a technology-oriented or human behavior-oriented path?

1 minute read

November 18, 2002, 8:00 AM PST

By C. Scott Smith


"The majority of sustainable development efforts fall into two main categories—technology-oriented and behavior-oriented. The former promises that high-efficiency technologies will mitigate unsustainable externalities. Thus disencumbered, people will not need to change their behavior, or at least they will not need to make heroic choices. In contrast, the latter argues that technology has too often proved to be a false promise. Heroic choices, according to this perspective, are therefore unavoidable if we are serious about achieving sustainability."

Thanks to C. Scott Smith

Monday, November 18, 2002 in Planetizen

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