Question

Modern technology brings with it several advantages, yet it is not without its limitations. Enumerate any three advantages and any two limitations of modern technology.

Answer 1

Advantages of Modern technology:

1. Electrofishing is primarily used for fishing in freshwater. It uses electricity to stun the fish so that they can be caught.
2. Dredging use dredges for collecting scallops, oysters or sea cumbers from the sea bed. They have scoops made of chain mesh that are towed by the fishing boat. Dredging is harmful to aquatic ecosystems as it destroys the seabed where a number of sea creatures live. They are also unable to survive the weight of the dredges. They especially destroy the corals. In fact they are compared to unmonitored forest clearing because the whole food chain of the marine ecosystem is disturbed resulting in grave loss of biodiversity.
3. Harvesting machines use pumps to pump out fish out of the sea. These are used for commercial fishing.

Disadvantages of conventional sources:

1. The gas from the combustion of fossil fuels is discharged into the air; this contains carbon dioxide and water vapour, as well as other substances such as nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur oxides, which are greenhouse gases.
2. Fly ash increases SPM (suspended particulate matter), which can cause respiratory problems in humans and contaminate the soil.
3. Mercury and traces of other metals can enter the food chain and cause bioaccumulation.
4. Solid waste ash from coal-fired boilers must also be removed. Some coal ash can is recycled for building materials.