The Double-Edged Sword

1.

ФИО студента: Кульченко Елизавета Викторовна
Образовательное Учреждение: Федеральное
государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение выс
шего
образования «НИУ «МЭИ»
Отделение: Институт информационных и вычислительных техн
ологий
Курс: 1
ФИО научного руководителя: Копылова Наталья Александровн
а

2. Plan

Introduction
The Cost of
Digital
Progress: EWaste
Air Pollution
& Climate
Change
The Ocean
Plastic
Crisis
How
Technology
Can Help
Solve These
Problems
Man-Made
Disasters
(Oil Spills)
Resource
Depletion
Biodiversity
Loss
A Personal
Perspective
Conclusion
References

3. The Double-Edged Sword

The DoubleEdged Sword
• Technology has given us
unprecedented power. We live
longer, travel faster, and
communicate instantly.
However, this progress has a
hidden cost. Every factory,
every power plant, and every
discarded gadget leaves a
mark on our planet.
• This presentation explores
the environmental problems
caused by technical
progress. As a student at
MPEI, I believe it is
crucial for future engineers
to understand not only what
technology can do, but also
what it costs.

4. The Rising Tide of E-Waste

Our desire for the newest gadgets
creates a massive waste problem.
• The world generates over 50
million tons of e-waste
annually.
• Only about 17% is properly
recycled.
• Discarded electronics contain
toxic materials: lead, mercury,
and cadmium.
These toxins leak into the soil
and water in developing
countries, poisoning communities
and the environment.

5. Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Crisis

Cause: The burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil,
gas) for energy, industry, and transport.
Key Facts (IPCC, 2023):
• Global temperatures are rising faster than at
any point in the last 2,000 years.
• Over 3 billion people live in areas highly
vulnerable to climate change.
Consequences:
• Melting ice caps and rising sea levels.
• More frequent extreme weather (floods,
droughts, fires).
• Threats to global food and water supplies.

6. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Our reliance on plastic has
created a crisis in the
oceans.
• Up to 199 million tons of
plastic are already in the
ocean.
• Each year, 33 billion
pounds of plastic enter the
marine environment.
• It kills over 1 million
seabirds and 100,000 marine
animals annually.
The Great Pacific Garbage
Patch, located between Hawaii
and California, is a floating
mass of debris larger than
the state of Texas.

7. When Systems Fail: Man-Made Disasters

Complex technology brings complex
risks. The Deepwater Horizon oil
spill (2010) is a tragic example:
• 134 million gallons of oil
spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.
• The oil gushed for nearly 3
months.
• Toxins still persist in deep-sea
organisms, over a decade later.
These disasters show that when our
technological systems fail, the
consequences for nature can last
for generations.

8. Depleting Natural Resources

Our industrial economy
consumes resources faster
than the Earth can replenish
them.
• A single smartphone
requires over 60 different
metals.
• Mining these metals
destroys forests and
pollutes rivers.
• Only 9% of all plastic ever
produced has been recycled.
The rest is in landfills or
the environment.
We treat the planet as an
infinite warehouse, but its
resources are finite.

9. The Crash of Natural Systems

The expansion of human activity is
driving a mass extinction.
Living Planet Report 2024:
• There has been a 73% decline in the
average size of monitored wildlife
populations since 1970.
• Freshwater species have been hit
hardest, with an 85% decline.
This loss of biodiversity
destabilizes entire ecosystems, upon
which we also depend for clean air,
water, and food.

10. How Technology Can Heal

The same progress that
created these problems can
help solve them. Green
technologies offer a path
forward:
1.
Renewable
Energy: Switching from
fossil fuels to solar
and wind power.
2.
Circular
Economy: Designing
products to be easily
repaired and recycled.
3.
Smart Systems: Using AI
and IoT to optimize
energy use in cities and
industries.
4.
Eco-

11. A Personal Perspective

As a student, I see
technology as a powerful
tool. But it is just a
tool. It depends on how we
use it.
• We can use AI to optimize
energy grids, or we can
use it to mine more fossil
fuels.
• We can design products to
last, or we can design
them to become obsolete in
two years.
I believe that engineers
and IT specialists of my
generation have a
responsibility to choose
the first path. We must
consider the environmental
impact of what we build.
This is not just an

12. Conclusion

Technical progress has brought us
to a critical point. The
environmental problems are severe,
but they are not unsolvable.
We have the data, the knowledge,
and the technology to restore the
balance. The missing ingredients
are political will, corporate
responsibility, and public
awareness.
The future of our planet depends
on the choices we make today.

13. References

1.
IPCC. (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report.
2.
WWF. (2024). Living Planet Report 2024.
3.
Egger, M., et al. (2025). The Great Pacific Cleanup. Plymouth Marine Lab.
4.
SkyTruth. (2025). 15 Years After Deepwater Spill.
5.
Moore, J., et al. (2024). Secrets of the Deep. Florida Atlantic University.
6.
Condor Ferries. (2025). Plastic in the Ocean Statistics.
7.
Forti V., et al. (2024). The Global E-waste Monitor 2024. UNITAR.