UNIT II: THE GOOD LIFE
within our control, that the sooner we realize this, the
What is “the good life?” Most probably you will
say that you are having a good life if you and your
family are physically well, have enough or more than
enough financial capacity to satisfy your basic needs
and wants, the family members are living comfortably
together in your own house in a peaceful community,
and have at least a vehicle. Or for some, good life
means living a simple life.
One basic way to use the word “good” is to
express moral approval. When we say someone is living
well or that he has lived a good life, he may simply
mean that he is a good person, someone who is
courageous, helpful, trustworthy, kind, selfless,
generous, helpful, loyal, principled, and so on. The
moral conception of the good life has exemplified by
some known individuals. Socrates and Plato both gave
absolute priority to being a virtuous person over all
other supposedly good things such as pleasure, wealth,
or power (Westocott, 2020).
For Epicarus, an ancient Greek philosopher, life
is worth living if we can experience pleasure, where
pleasure is enjoyable, fun and pleasant. This is the
hedonist view of that pleasure is what makes life
worth living. Even today when we say someone is living
a good life, we may mean that they are enjoying
recreational pleasures: good food, party, travel, doing
what makes one happy.
For Aristotle, good life is a happy life. He both
agree with Socrates that to live a good life one must be
a morally good person and Epicarus that happy life
involves variety of pleasurable experiences. According
to Aristotle, we may not realize it, but happiness is the
end goal of everything we do.
The materialism view of happiness is that,
matter makes us attain happiness. Material wealth as
the primary source of the meaning of their existence.
Democritus, an ancient Greek philosopher and
Leucippus led a school whose primary belief is that the
world is made up of tiny indivisible units called atomos
or seeds, and even human beings are made up of
matter.
Stoicism teaches the development of self-
control and fortitude as a means of overcoming
destructive emotions. For stoics, happiness can only be
attained by careful practice of apathy. In this world
view, they adopt the fact that some things are not
happier we can become.
The Theism view is that “communion with God
is the ultimate basis of happiness. “That everything we
have are temporary and we have to move around
while waiting for the ultimate return to the hands of
God.
Humanism is another school of thought
espouses man has his freedom to carve his destiny and
the captain of his own ship. Humanists see themselves
as individuals who are in control of themselves and the
world outside them. As a result of the motivation of the
humanist, scientists eventually turned to technology in
order to ease the difficulty of life by developing
machines, tools, processes, and many others.
Finding happiness is dependent on the
individual’s preference. To be satisfied with what you
have may lead to happiness and having a good life. For
many, food gives them happiness which satisfies their
cravings and feel better, without knowing that some of
this food my lead them to sickness and unhappiness
Some more Philosophical Views on The Good Life:
Plato and Socrates on the good life:
In his work Apology, Plato gives an account of a
speech given by Socrates while defending himself
against allegations of impiety and corrupting the youth
in the year 399 BC. When being asked by the court why
Socrates simply cannot stop questioning the way people
live, Socrates responds with a simple, yet profound
answer. According to Socrates the unexamined life is
not worth living. Living life without ever reflecting
upon it is not worth living. The person who
unquestioningly and continuously repeats the cycle of
waking up, working and going back to sleep, is not
living the good life. Even further, people that do not
reflect on the nature of things are not living a
worthwhile life. If a person is not examining what they
value and why, the chances of them being able to live a
good life are reduced.
Examining, reflecting and questioning the
nature of things, however, is not enough. Similarly, it’s
not enough to reflect on your personal values. Living
the good life requires you to become a Master of
yourself. Socrates compared this process to a
charioteer directing two horses. Socrates argued that
each and every one of us is such a charioteer. We all
have to handle two horses. The first horse is stubborn.
It is a direct reflection of our animal instincts with a
boundless appetite for lust and pleasure. The first
horse goes in whatever direction it pleases, if not
tightly controlled. It is egotistical and does not reflect
what it does. It simply does. The second horse is of a
much nobler and more sensible spirit. It resembles
reason and man’s capability to reflect upon that which
he does. If the charioteer ever wants to live the good
life, the stubborn appetites of the first horse must be
controlled. Only by using your reason to reign in your
passions, the two horses will lead you on the path of
the good life. In line with this arguing, not being able to
control your desires and passions will make you behave
like an uncontrolled and misdirected stubborn horse.
Socrates concluded that by living a just life, based on
reflection, examination and servitude to society, a
person can truly live the good life. But those who allow
desires and passions to guide their actions, are most
likely not living worthwhile lives.
Aristotle on the Good Life:
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) was a Greek
philosopher, a student of Plato, and teacher of
Alexander the Great and is one of the greatest thinkers
in the history of western philosophy on one of his best-
known works Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle views on
living well begin with a consideration of ends and
means. Suppose I want a car—the car is my end or goal.
I can earn, borrow, or steal the money to get the car—
these are my means. The means I choose depends on
which is easier, quicker, likelier to succeed, etc. Now
suppose I get my car? That is itself a means to another
end, say of getting to school or work. And of course,
getting to school or work is the means to another end,
getting to class or a job. And these are the means of
making money, which is itself a means of buying food,
clothing, and shelter, which are the means of staying
alive. Such considerations led Aristotle to wonder
whether there is any final or ultimate end, an end for
which everything else is a means, an end that is not a
means to anything else. In short, he wanted to know if
there is an ultimate end, goal, or purpose for human
life.
For Aristotle, the final end of human life is to
flourish, to live well, to have a good life. All actions
should aim at this end. But since living well may mean
differently for different people, Aristotle argued that
not all those leading to living well like desires are the
same. There are acquired desires, which differ between
individuals, and natural desires, which are the same for
everyone. Acquired desires—say for caviar—correspond
to our wants, whereas natural desires—say for food—
correspond to our needs. Acquired desires or wants
correspond to apparent goods; things that appear
good because we want them. Natural desires or needs
correspond to real goods; things that are good for us
whether we want them or not.
With these considerations in mind, Aristotle
states that the good life consists in the possession,
over the course of a lifetime, of all those things that
are really good for us. Moreover, what is really good for
any one of us corresponds to the natural needs that are
the same for all of us. Thus, what is good for one person
is good for another; in other words, there is a right plan
for living well. What are these real goods that we should
all seek to obtain in order to live well? According to
Aristotle, they are:
1) bodily goods – health, vitality, vigor, and pleasure;
2) external goods – food, drink, shelter, clothing, and
sleep; and
3) goods of the soul – knowledge, skill, love,
friendship, aesthetic enjoyment, self-esteem, and
honor.
The first two types of goods are limited goods
—we can have more of them than we need. Goods of
the soul are unlimited goods—we cannot have more of
them than we need. However, one may have the
knowledge of these goods but continue not doing them.
Aristotle argued that the way to bridge the gap
between knowledge of the good life and actually living
it was through the development of a good moral
character. And this entails developing good habits. A
good habit allows us to perform certain actions
without effort. We can have a good habit of playing the
piano, studying hard, hitting golf balls, or thinking well.
We can also habitually make good choices to avoid
overeating or drinking too much.
Aristotle calls good habits virtues or
excellences. Virtues of the mind are intellectual
virtues; while virtues exemplified by a regular
disposition to choose correctly are moral virtues. For
Aristotle, wisdom is the most important intellectual
virtue but moral virtue plays a special role in living
well. The reason moral virtue—the habit of making
the right choices—is so important is that our choices
determine whether we live well. And if we make too
many bad choices we will live poorly.
So, we need to develop the good habits or
virtues which help us obtain what is really good for us,
as opposed to bad habits or vices which lead us toward
things that merely appear good. Good habits or moral
virtues are the principal means to having good lives
because they allow us to habitually make the choices
that both constitute and lead to good lives.
The most important moral virtues or habits are
moderation, courage, and justice. Moderation keeps
us from overindulging in pleasure or seeking too much
of the limited goods. Courage is having the disposition
to do what it takes to live a good life, and justice is the
virtue that allows us to have friends and enjoy the
benefits of cooperation.
However, both knowledge of the good life and
good habits may not be enough because living well is
not completely within our control. Why? First, some
real goods, like wealth or health, are not completely
within our power to possess. And second, we didn’t
create the initial conditions of our birth or the
environment into which we were born. Thus moral
virtue, while necessary, doesn’t guarantee a good life.
We also need to be fortunate or lucky. If we are wise,
virtuous, and fortunate we will have good, meaningful
lives.
UNIT III – SPECIFIC ISSUES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND SOCIETY
In 2005, The Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro
Kiozumi, during the STS forum said “Environmental
protection and economic development are mutually
achievable and sustainable. It is science and
technology that holds the key to achieving the dual
goals.
This statement served as challenge to the
people of science Technology, to protect not only the
economy but most especially the environment. Science
and technology should be used appropriately for the
future of our planet earth, with all the living species and
mankind. Though we can see the advancements of S&T,
especially in the field of genetic engineering,
nanotechnology, robotics, yet we still have to our best
to come up with different sources of energy, to address
the challenges of climate change through
environmental awareness.
Lesson 8: The Information Age
Information is knowledge communicated or
obtained concerning a specific fact or circumstance
(Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary).
The information age is the period when
information became effortlessly accessible through
publications and through the management of
information by computer and computer networks.
(Vocabulary.com, n.d.). It is also called the Digital Age
and the New Media Age starting the last quarter of
20th century. It’s a true new age based upon
interconnection of computers via telecommunications
with these information systems operating on both real-
time and as needed basis.” (by James R. Messenger, The
Theory of Information Age in 1982)
Timeline of the Information Age
105 AD – woodblock printing and paper was invented
by the Chinese
1455 – Johannes Gutenberg invented the Printing Press
using movable metal type
1755 – Samuel Johnson’s dictionary standardized
English Spelling
1802 – the Library of Congress was established
1824 – research on persistence of vision published
1830s – first visible design for a digital computer
Augusta Lady Byron writes the world’s first computer
program
1837 – Invention of the telegraph in Great Britain and
US
1861 – Motion pictures were projected onto a screen
1876 – Dewey Decimal System was introduced
1877 – Eadward Muybridge demonstrated high speed
Photography
1899 – First Magnetic Recordings were released
1902 – Motion Picture special effects were used
1906 – Lee deforest invented the electric amplifying
tube (triode)
1923 – Television camera tube was invented by Zvorkyn
1926 – First practical sound movie
1939 – Regularly scheduled television broadcasting
began in the US
1940s – Beginnings of information Science as a
discipline
1945 – Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of
hypertext
1946 – ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And
Computer) was developed
1948 – Birth of field-of-Information theory by Claude E.
Shannon
1957 – Planar Transistor was developed by Jean Hoerni
1958 – First Integrated Circuit
1960s – Library of Congress developed LC MARC
(Machine Readable Code)
1969 – UNIX operating System was developed, which
could handle multitasking
1971 – Intel introduced the first Microprocessor chip
1972 – Optical Laser Disc was developed by Philips and
MCA
1974 – MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc
encoding format
1975 – Altair Microcomputer Kit was released: first
personal computer for public
1977 – RadioShack introduced the first complete
personal computer
1984 – Apple Macintosh computer was introduced
Mid 1980s – Artificial Intelligence was separated from
information Science
1987 – HyperCard was developed by Bill Atkinson recipe
box metaphor
1988 – Digital camera; Transatlantic telephone
1989 – World Wide Web
1991 – Four hundred fifty complete works of literature
on one CD-ROM was released
1992 – first Smartphone
1995- Internet explorer
1998- Google
2001 - Wikipedia
2002 – Friendster
2003 – Skype; Word press
2004 - Facebook
2005 – You Tube
2006 – Twitter
2010 – Instagram; Pinterest
The Computer – Is an electronic device that stores and
processes data (information). It runs on programs that
solve a problem. It can apply to virtually any device that
has microprocessor in it. Computer maybe Personal,
Desktop, Laptop, Personal Digital Assistants or PDAs,
Server, Mainframes or Wearables.
Type of Computers
1. PERSONAL COMPUTER – single user instrument
2. DESKTOP COMPUTER– “workstation” has a more
powerful processor, additional memory and enhanced
capabilities for performing special group of tasks
3. LAPTOPS – portable computers that integrate the
essentials of a desktop computer in battery-powered
package
4. PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDAs) – highly
integrated computers that usually have no keyboards
but rely on a touch screen for user input.
5. SERVER – provide network services to other
computers
6. MAINFRAMES – huge computer systems that can fill
an entire room; process millions of transactions
everyday
7. WEARABLE COMPUTERS – usually integrated into cell
phones, watches, and other small objects that perform
common computer applications such as databases,
email, multimedia.
The World Wide Web
CLAUDE E. SHANNON, an American
Mathematician considered the “Father of Information
Theory.” He proposed that information can be
quantitatively encoded as a sequence of ones and
zeroes.
INTERNET – a worldwide system of
interconnected networks that facilitate data
transmission among innumerable computers
SERGEY BRIN and LARY PAGE, built search
engine GOOGLE in 1998
Bill Gates – Microsoft
Steve Jobs – Apple
Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook
The World Wide Web opened the society to up-
to-date information as fresh as while it is happening or
what we call live. Aside from news and information, it
also served as gateway of individuals to express their
feelings, share their messages, photos, videos, ideas,
success, achievements, opportunities, and many others.
There are different social media platforms
developed and are used to connect with friends, family,
different audiences and random people. Social media
are also used by many people to earn money and
popularity. There are so many success stories you can
find in social media, but there are also tragic
experiences other have occurred because of social
media. Cyber bullying happens every day in every part
of the world. Too much exposure to social media may
lead one to depression, stress, and other psychological
problems. Though we can say that society benefits from
the development of the World Wide Web and the
internet, we face challenges to go with this kind of
technology.
Guidelines that can help us check the reliability of web
sources;
1. Who is the Author of the article/site?
 Does the author provide his/her
credentials?
 What type of expertise does he/she
have on the subject he or she is writing
about?
 What type of experience does he/she
have? Should you trust his/her
knowledge on the subject?
2. Who published the Site?
 Look for the domain name of the
website that will tell you who is hosting
the site
 Search the domain name at
http://www.whois.sc/ The site provides
information about the owners of
registered domain names.
 Do not ignore the suffix on the domain.
The suffix is usually (but not always)
descriptive of what type of entity hosts
the website. ex. .org = non profit; .gov =
government; .edu = educational; .com =
commercial; .mil = military
3. What is main purpose of the site?
 To sell products?
 As a personal hobby?
 As public service?
 To further scholarship on a topic?
 To provide general information on a topic?
 To persuade you of a particular profession or
with specific training?
4. Who is the intended audience?
 Scholars or the general public
 Which age group is it written for?
 Is it aimed at people from particular geographic
area?
 Is it aimed at members of a particular
profession or with specific training?
5. What is the quality of information provided on the
website?
 Timeliness: When was the website first
published? Is it regularly updated?
 Does the author cite sources?
 What other sites does the website link to? Are
they reputable sites?
 Is the website being cited by others?
Examples of Useful and Reliable Web Sources
 AFA e-Newsletter (Alzheimer’s Foundation of
America newsletter)
 American Memory – the library of congress
historical digital collectionBartleby.com
 Great Books Online – a collection of free e-
books including fictions, nonfictions, references,
and verses.
  Project Gutenberg – the first and largest single
collection of free electronic books with
currently over 20,000 e-books available
 Internet Archives – a digital library of internet
sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form
 Virtual Reference – selected web resources
compiled by the Library of Congress
 Nation Master – a massive central data source
and a handy way to graphically compare nations
Drug information websites:
 National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus
 Drugs.com
 PDRhealth
Nursing sites:
 AHRQ (www.ahrq.gov) Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality
 National Guidelines Clearinghouse
 PubMed (www.nlm.nih.gov)
Application of Computers in Science and Research
Bioinformatics is the application of
information technology to store, organize, and analyze
vast amount of biological data which is available in the
form of sequences and structures of proteins, and this is
achieved with the help of computers. One of the great
achievements in bioinformatics is accomplishment of
the human genome project. It began in 1990 and was
completed in 2003. This project allowed researchers to
understand the blueprint for building a person. This
knowledge will have a major impact in the field of
medicine, biotechnology and the life sciences. For
pharmaceutical companies, bioinformatics is the key to
rational drug discovery. In plant biotechnology,
bioinformatics is useful in identifying diseases resistant
genes and designing plants with high nutrition value.
Digital Technological Drawbacks
We have not thought through what AI, IoT, big
data, social media, cloud, ICT, genome editing, could
possibly do. Ron Immink, a renowned writer, compares
our present trend in technology to the invention of the
atomic bomb. He pointed out that we are dealing with
a digital nuclear bomb, and it might explode before we
realise what we have gotten ourselves into.
Exponential technology could soon trigger a
chain of “A-bomb challenges” or “digital Hiroshimas”.
In his book, he included some digital technological
drawbacks:
Dependency — Leaving our thinking to software and
algorithms because it’s just so much more convenient
and faster.
Confusion — Being not sure who performed the tasks;
Not knowing if it was the intended human who replied
to my emails, or her AI assistant
Loss of control — Not having a way of knowing if the
AI’s anticipation was correct or not, as we could not
possibly track the system’s logic or even comprehend
the workings of a quantum computing-fueled, machine-
learning system. In other words, we would need to
either trust it completely or not at all, similar to the
dilemma that some airplane pilots are already facing
with their autopilot systems.
Abdication — Being tempted to leave more tasks to
systems that would handle them for us, whether it is
coordinating personal schedules, making appointments,
or answering simple emails. Then, of course, it would be
very likely that we would simply blame the cloud/bot/AI
if something went wrong.
Social autism – we love our screen more than we love
people.
Addiction to technology - “mobile devices are the new
cigarettes”.
Digital obesity – Every consumer in developed countries
unwittingly ingests an estimated 150 pounds of
additives — mostly sugar, yeast, and antioxidants, as
well as truly nasty stuff such as MSG. The food industry
actually calls this cravability or crave-ability. In the
world of technology, people are obsess with social
networking sites and marketers call it magic, stickiness,
indispensability, or more benignly, user engagement.
Craving and addiction as tech’s business model. Think
2020 and imagine billions of hyperconnected consumers
becoming digitally obese, hooked on a constant drip of
information, media, and data — and their own feedback
loops.
ETHICAL IMPACTS OF TECHNOLOGY
The use of computers has brought about
environmental, ethical and legal issues and concerns.
These increasingly affect people's daily lives. Some of
them are as follow:
Ethical issues
Ethics are moral principles, or rules, that govern
a person's attitudes and behaviour. Ethics apply to the
use of computers as much as they do to other things in
life. Ethical issues that may arise in engaging in digital
technology are as follow:
Privacy
Once data is put into a computer it can easily be
copied or transmitted. This puts personal private data at
risk. Organizations that hold private data should do
their best to ensure that such data remains private.
Many smartphone apps ask for permission to access
data held on the device. Once accessed, this data is
usually sent to the app producer, who is often in
another country and not always subject to the privacy
laws that exist in the Philippines.
Ensuring public safety
Ensuring public safety is vital. As new
technologies are introduced, they bring safety concerns.
For example, driverless cars may soon be on the roads.
The designers of driverless cars have not only had to
ensure the safety of passengers but also of other drivers
and pedestrians. An ethical issue applies here, as a
situation may occur where the car's software has to
decide who has safety priority. Should it be the
passengers inside the car, or other road users?
Digital divide
The digital divide is the difference between
those who have access to computers and the internet
and those who do not. The difference between them
continuous to rise, establishing societal gaps. This may
be due to wealth, location, age or the ability to use new
technology. Somebody who has a visual impairment
may have difficulties using a touchscreen. Apps that are
designed to be used on a smartphone may exclude such
people from using their services. The elderly generation
have not grown up with technology and might feel
nervous of the steep learning curve required to gain
confidence with using the internet. This could mean
that they miss out on opportunities, such as online
shopping offers that are not available on the high street.
Working conditions
Since industries of all types depend mainly on
technology for their production, working conditions in
one way or another will be affected. The industries will
always consider the technology they are using in
designing the workplace and the work systems
sometimes at the expense of the workers. Workers will
always be at risk on the side effects brought by
technology.
Professional standards
To meet the fast-growing demands of computer
science and information technology areas. Professionals
should continue to improve their overall competencies
to fit the requirements needed by the industries.
Furthermore, these professionals are also expected to
follow new set of policies and guidelines imposed by the
industry guided by the harm the digital technology can
cause. Example: internet security policy, Data Privacy
Act, Cybersecurity Act etc.
Lesson 9: Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the
world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem or the vast
variety of life forms in the entire earth. The variability
among living things from all sources, including
terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and
the ecological complexes of which they are part.
Biodiversity is the source of essential goods and
ecological services that constitute the source of life for
all. Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better
survival rate against natural disaster. Disappearance of
species in a certain environment causes imbalance in
the ecosystem. Human activities are the major cause of
wildlife decline. WWF projected 67% decline on wildlife
by 2020 (Marco Lambertini, Gen. Dir. WWF
International). Conservation efforts are necessary to
preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species
and their habitats.
Threats to Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss and destruction.
2. Alterations in ecosystem composition
3. Over-exploitation
4. Pollution and contamination
5. Global climate change
Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to
sustainable food production for human beings. The
society must have access to a sufficient variety of
nutritious food as its determinant of their health. There
must be intensified and enhanced food production
through irrigation, use of fertilizers, plant protection, or
the introduction of crop varieties or cropping patterns
affect biodiversity and thus impact global nutritional
status and human health.
Health, Biology and Biodiversity
Basic needs of living things such as air, water,
food, and habitat are provided by its environment.
Advances in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment,
and hygiene have had a far greater impact on human
health. Environmental hazards increase the risk of
cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses.
Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene
are responsible for a variety of infectious diseases.
Environmental hazards increase the risk of asthma and
other respiratory disease, skin diseases, waterborne
illness and many others.
Activities that promote health and extend
human life could have adverse environmental effects.
Ex. Waste produced by livestock, carbon emission from
food manufacturing and transportation, medical waste
from hospitals. Climate change could deteriorate
farming system and reduce nutrients in some foods.
Energy production and use, help sustain human life, but
it can also pose hazards to human health and the
environment, such as air pollution, water pollution, oil
spills, and destruction of habitats. Activities that
promote health and extend human life could have
adverse environmental effect such as: food production
causes environmental damage from pesticides and
fertilizers, soil salinization, waste produced by livestock,
carbon emission from food manufacturing and
transportation, deforestation and overfishing. In terms
of health care, hospitals use large quantities of
electricity and produce medical and hazardous wastes.
Good health care results to reduced mortality, this can
lead to overpopulation, which results to environmental
stresses, these includes clearing of land, generating
pollution waste, and others
Lesson 10: Genetically Modified Organisms: Science,
Health and Politics
A Genetically Modified Organism is simply
something whose genetic material (DNA) has been
changed in a way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural recombination. Genetic
engineering allows scientists to insert, or suppress,
desired traits or features into an organism – enhancing
a crop’s resistance, for instance, or promoting
photosynthesis. This artificial manipulation of DNA
would never happen in nature. It replaces the
traditional method of selective breeding, a common and
completely safe practice used by growers.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Since something is altered in the original
composition of the organism, and the process is being
controlled by a set of procedures, environmental
concerns will surely arise. Some of them are
summarized as follow:
1. Increased use of toxic herbicides and pesticides
The majority of GM crops are those which have
been engineered to be herbicide (weed-killer) resistant.
‘Roundup ready’ soya, produced by Monsanto and
grown extensively in
North and South America, allows farmers to
spray soya plants with Roundup - a toxic cocktail of
glyphosate and other chemicals. This may not harm the
genetically engineered crop – but the treatment creates
chemical residues and run off, making it disastrous for
surrounding ecosystems.
It also encourages the development of
‘superweeds’ which are resistant to glyphosate,
such as the giant pig weed, which grows over 2m tall, or
Morning Glory. The latter has evolved a reproductive
system which ensures its tolerance of glyphosate. This
was not something predicted by the genetic engineers.
2. Pleiotropy.
DNA is a complex structure. Altering it in any
way can create new consequences and structures in the
cell’s composition, as well as its relationship with other
cells. Chemists call this Pleiotropy. Genes are not like
Lego pieces – if you change or remove an element,
there are ramifications way beyond the changed ‘piece’.
In every organism, genes, proteins and pathways
interact with one another and are regulated in a
complex, multi-layered network process.
Despite scientists’ claims, it is impossible to
predict the impacts of even a single genemodification.
Pleiotropic effects have included alterations in the
crop’s nutritional, toxic and allergenic properties. For In Food and Agricultural Industries
example, a GM soya tested in 1996, developed 27%
1. Pest Resistance – resists certain pests.
higher levels of a major allergen, trypsin-inhibitor. In
Ex. Bt Corn
2008 a GM maize had the unpredicted appearance of a
2. Virus resistance – resists certain viruses.
new form of the protein which is a known allergen. Even
Ex. GM papaya or rainbow papaya
the new technique, called CRISPR, heralded for its
3. Herbicide tolerance – tolerance to chemicals
accuracy, still has unknown effects on nontargeted cells.
that kills weeds.
CRISPR scientists rely on algorithms to predict the most
4. Fortification – GMO fortified with certain
obvious cell changes, but in a recent test case there
minerals.
were 100s of unforeseen effects.
Ex. Golden Rice or rice with vit. A
3. Contamination 5. Cosmetic Preservation – resist natural
discoloration
GM crops can – and do - cross pollinate with
Ex. Arctic Apple.Apple modified to suppress the
wild and non-GM plants. Other sources of
browning due to superficial damage
contamination are the inadvertent spread of seed by
6. Increase growth rate – has faster growth rate
farm machinery, as well as mixing seeds during storage.
than ordinary salmon.
Cross pollination will not only contaminate wild plants,
Ex. AquAdvantage salmon
affecting their natural genetic makeup, but will seriously
compromise any organic or non-GM farming system. GMOs in Non-food crops and Microorganisms
Despite claims that GM and non-GM can co-exist, it is
1. Flower production – for modified color and
patently untrue.
extended vase life of flower. Ex. Blue roses
Genetic engineering is a process by which a 2. Paper Production – trees for higher yield of
gene or a segment of DNA of an organism is paper production. Ex. Poplar trees with genes
transferred to another organism. The term Genetic for ferulic acid
Engineering was coined by Jack Williamson in 1951. It 3. Pharmaceutical productions – GMO to produce
was through the effort of the genomics where genes in pharmaceutical products
each DNA of an organism are mapped and identified, Ex. Periwinkle for enhanced production of an
this leads the genetic engineers to combine genes of alkaloid vinblastine, a drug for cancer treatment
different organisms creating “Genetically Modified 4. Bioremediation – can assist in the
Organisms” or GMOs. bioremediation of polluted site.
Ex. Shrub tobacco
Agricultural plants are one of the most
5. Enzyme and Drug production – produce
frequently cited examples of GMOs. Some benefits from
enzymes for food processing and medicine.
engineered organisms are:
Ex. A Bacillus bacterium with a gene of a
1. Increase crop yield, reduce the cost of food thermophilic anaerobe producing CGTase an
production enzyme used for food flavor enhancer.
2. Reduced the need for pesticides and herbicides 6. GMO in medical field – for diagnosis and
3. Enhance the nutrient composition and food treatment of human dreaded diseases.
quality Ex. Humulin, insulin produced by bacterium with
4. Resistance to pest and diseases gene of human to produce human insulin.
5. Greater food security
Potential Risks of GMOs
6. Medical benefits to the world’s growing
population
7. Organisms grow and mature faster
8. Tolerance to environmental stressors
9. Production of non-protein (bioplastic) or
nonindustrial (ornamental plant) products.

Some Genetically Modified Organisms

 Several concerns arise regarding GMOs, since
there are unknown consequences when the natural
state of an organism is altered. Such alterations can
change the organism’s metabolism, growth rate, and
other environmental factors. These consequences not
only concern the GMO but also the natural environment
in which the organism is allowed to proliferate.
Potential Risk to Humans
1. Possibility of exposure to new allergens in
genetically modified organisms
2. Transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut
flora.
3. Insertion of the genes requires vectors and
these vectors may become part of the food and
may become toxic to the consumer.
4. Several researches validate the link between
genetically engineered foods to immuno-
suppression in rats’ study, this can also be true
to other animals and humans.
5. Cancer promoting hormone called insulin-like
growth factor-1 are increased in GM cows to
produce more milk. Study shows that the
hormone could survive digestion and make its
way into the blood stream of the consumer
which is linked to growth of breast cancer,
prostate cancer, and colon cancer.
6. Nutritional value of food can be altered by
genetic engineering. Study shows that nutrients
are lost in GE foods.
Potential Risk to Environment
1. Emergence of new forms of resistance and
secondary pests and weed problems. Pests
may develop resistance to the GMOs with pest-
resistance, leading to formation of super pest.
2. Production of new pathogens may result in
recombination of virus and bacteria. Vectors of
the modified gene to the target cell are often
viruses or bacteria. These vectors may cause
new disease not only to the GMOs but also to
the consumers.
3. Presence of GMOs may interfere with the
natural communities through competition or
interaction.
4. GMOs may also interfere with the biochemical
cycles.
Bioethics and GMO
There are five sets of ethical concerns, the
Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCOB) in the United
Kingdom, have raised about GM crops.
1. Potential harm to human health;
2. Potential damage to the environment;
3. Negative impact on traditional farming practice;
4. Excessive corporate dominance; and
5. “Unnaturalness” of the technology
Biosafety on GMOs
International organizations developed principles
and treaties that somehow ensure biosafety on GMOs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) together with
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) created
Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Codex is
responsible for the development of standards, codes of
practices, guidelines, and recommendations on food
safety. The principles include pre-market assessments
of the GM food products and its evaluation of direct and
indirect effects.
Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety is an
international environment agreement which aims to
ensure safe handling and use of Living Modified
Organisms (LMOs). The protocol seeks to protect
biological diversity from the potential risk pose by
LMOs resulting from modern biotechnology. They
require the exporters to seek consent from the
importers before its first shipment of LMOs.
The International Trade Agreement on Labeling
of GM foods and food products. The agreement
requires the exporters of GM products to label their
products and give rights to importing parties to reject or
accept the GM products.
Lesson 11: The Nano World
Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the
study and application of extremely small things and
can be used across all the other science fields, such as
chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and
engineering.
Fundamental Concepts in Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology
It’s hard to imagine just how small
nanotechnology is. One nanometer is a billionth of
ammeter, or 10-9of a meter. Here are a few illustrative
examples
 There are 25,400,000 nanometers in an inch
 A sheet of newspaper is about 100,000
nanometers thick
 On a comparative scale, if a marble were a
nanometer, then one meter would be the size
of the Earth
Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the
ability to see and to control individual atoms and
molecules. Everything on Earth is made up of atoms—
the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the buildings
and houses we live in, and our own bodies.
But something as small as an atom is impossible to
see with the naked eye. In fact, it’s impossible to see
with the microscopes typically used in a high school
science class. The microscopes needed to see things at
the nanoscale were invented relatively recently—about
30 years ago. Once scientists had the right tools, such as
the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the
atomic force microscope (AFM), the age of
nanotechnology was born.
Although modern nanoscience and nanotechnology
are quite new, nanoscale materials were used for
centuries. Alternate-sized gold and silver particles
created colors in the stained-glass windows of medieval
churches hundreds of years ago. The artists back then
just didn’t know that the process they used to create
these beautiful works of art actually led to changes in
the composition of the materials they were working
with.
Today's scientists and engineers are finding a wide
variety of ways to deliberately make
materials at the nanoscale to take advantage of their
enhanced properties such as higher strength, lighter
weight, increased control of light spectrum, and greater
chemical reactivity than their larger-scale counterparts.
ETHICAL ISSUES RAISED BY NANOTECHNOLOGY
Although the modern world is already gearing
towards nanotechnology due to advantages its offer,
there are still ethical and societal impacts that we need
to consider. These impacts can be summarized as
follow:
HEALTH ISSUES
1. The cost of nano-devices and nano surgery
tools and the unknown technical capacity of
these devices and tools.
2. The effect on the relationship between
physician and patient.
3. The effect on health
SOCIETAL ISSUES
1. The effect on developing countries
Getting the roles of the process cycle of
nanotechnology.
The change in the need for raw
materials.
2. The effect on laborers
Undetermined employee security.
Unprescribed dangers resulting from
nano-products.
3. The effect on managerial issues
FUTURISTIC ISSUES
1. Enlarging expectations and unsubstantial
estimation
2. Possible risks
3. Clinical applications of nanotechnological
processes
4. The problem of confidentiality
5. The problem of equality
6. The problem of definition of being a human
Lesson 12: GENE THERAPY
Gene therapy is an experimental technique
that uses genes to treat or prevent disease. In the
future, this technique may allow doctors to treat a
disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead
of using drugs or surgery. Researchers are testing
several approaches to gene therapy, including:
 Replacing a mutated gene that causes disease
with a healthy copy of the gene.
 Inactivating, or “knocking out,” a mutated gene
that is functioning improperly.
 Introducing a new gene into the body to help
fight a disease.
Although gene therapy is a promising treatment
option for a number of diseases (including inherited
disorders, some types of cancer, and certain viral
infections), the technique remains risky and is still under
study to make sure that it will be safe and effective.
Gene therapy is currently being tested only for diseases
that have no other cures.
ETHICAL ISSUES OF THE GENETHERAPY
There are many issues and questions about the
ethics of gene therapy surrounding the practice. Gene
therapy involves making changes to a person's genetic
profile, which is like a set of instructions or a blueprint
for that unique individual. One of the ethical concerns
involves whether it's morally right to make such
changes, especially if they may also affect future
generations. Other concerns about the ethics of gene
therapy have to do with the application of the
technique; many feel it's acceptable to use it to treat
harmful disorders but not to enhance a person's
fundamental traits. There are also concerns relating to
accessibility of these expensive treatments and the risk
of them becoming reserved for the wealthy.
One of the main concerns about the ethics of
gene therapy has to do with the existence of the
practice itself and whether it's morally acceptable. All
types of gene therapy involve permanently altering the
genetic profile of an individual; one type called germline
gene therapy allows the changes to be passed on to
offspring and future generations. Opponents of the
practice express reservations about the risks of
unknown long range side effects and developmental
problems for future generations and believe that more
study is necessary before taking these risks. Some also
take issue with gene therapy on religious grounds
because they view it as tampering with God's design.
Supporters of gene therapy cite the enormous potential
to save lives and eradicate genetic disorders and seem
to feel the rewards are worth the risks.
Another serious concern about the ethics of
gene therapy is that it has the potential to be misused.
Many individuals agree that it can be beneficial for the
treatment of life-altering harmful disorders. There are
concerns, however, that this could lead to using it to
eliminate any difference from society's ideal. Some
people are concerned that gene therapy could be the
beginning of genetic engineering to create the
"perfect" human. Another concern is the potential
abuse of gene therapy to enhance a person's
performance, thereby altering abilities such as
intelligence, speed, or coordination. Researchers and
the American Medical Association agree that such uses
of gene therapy would be a violation of ethics and
shouldn't be permitted.
There are also issues about the cost of
treatment related to the ethics of gene therapy. Given
the experimental nature of gene therapy, it is very
expensive, and usually not covered by medical
insurance. The cost makes gene therapy treatments out
of reach for most individuals since it is generally only
affordable for the very rich. There is concern that gene
therapy could become an exclusive treatment reserved
for the wealthy elite, with others denied access. In
keeping with the medical code of ethics, many in the
medical community are committed to making it
accessible to all regardless of socioeconomic status.
Lesson 9 Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the
world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem or the
vast variety of life forms in the entire earth. The
variability among living things from all sources,
including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they
are part. Biodiversity is the source of essential goods
and ecological services that constitute the source of life
for all. Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better
survival rate against natural disaster. Disappearance of
species in a certain environment causes imbalance in
the ecosystem. Human activities are the major cause of
wildlife decline. WWF projected 67% decline on wildlife
by2020 (Marco Lambertini, Gen. Dir. WWF
International). Conservation efforts are necessary to
preserve biodiversity and protect endangered species
and their habitats.
Threats to Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss and destruction.
2. Alterations in ecosystem composition
3. Over-exploitation
4. Pollution and contamination
5. Global climate change
Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes
to sustainable food production for human beings. The
society must have access to a sufficient variety of
nutritious food as its determinant of their health. There
must be intensified and enhanced food production
through irrigation, use of fertilizers, plant protection,
or the introduction of crop varieties or cropping
patterns affect biodiversity and thus impact global
nutritional status and human health.
Health, Biology and Biodiversity
Basic needs of living things such as air, water,
food, and habitat are provided by its environment.
Advances in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment,
and hygiene have had a far greater impact on human
health. Environmental hazards increase the risk of
cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses.
Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene
are responsible for a variety of infectious diseases.
Environmental hazards increase the risk of asthma and
other respiratory disease, skin diseases, waterborne
illness and many others.
Activities that promote health and extend
human life could have adverse environmental effects.
Ex. Waste produced by livestock, carbon emission from
food manufacturing and transportation, medical waste
from hospitals. Climate change could deteriorate
farming system and reduce nutrients in some foods.
Energy production and use, help sustain human life, but
it can also pose hazards to human health and the
environment, such as air pollution, water pollution, oil
spills, and destruction of habitats. Activities that
promote health and extend human life could have
adverse environmental effect such as: food production
causes environmental damage from pesticides and
fertilizers, soil salinization, waste produced by
livestock, carbon emission from food manufacturing
and transportation, deforestation and overfishing. In
terms of health care, hospitals use large quantities of
electricity and produce medical and hazardous wastes.
Good health care results to reduced mortality, this can
lead to overpopulation, which results to environmental
stresses, these includes clearing of land, generating
pollution waste, and others.
A mitigating plan and a workable plan of action
should be studied in order not to compromise
biodiversity, while at the same time, promote good
health among the society. We must recognize the value
of organisms which we share the planet with.
Lesson 10: Genetically Modified Organisms: Science,
Health and Politics
A Genetically Modified Organism is simply
something whose genetic material (DNA) has been
changed in a way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural recombination. Genetic
engineering allows scientists to insert, or suppress,
desired traits or features into an organism –enhancing a
crop’s resistance, for instance, or promoting
photosynthesis. This artificial manipulation of DNA
would never happen in nature. It replaces the
traditional method of selective breeding, a common and
completely safe practice used by growers.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Since something is altered in the original
composition of the organism, and the process is being
controlled by a set of procedures, environmental
concerns will surely arise. Some of them are
summarized as follow:
1. Increased use of toxic herbicides and
pesticides
The majority of GM crops are those which have
been engineered to be herbicide (weedkiller) resistant.
‘Roundup ready’ soya, produced by Monsanto and
grown extensively in North and South America, allows
farmers to spray soya plants with Roundup - a toxic
cocktail of glyphosate and other chemicals. This may not
harm the genetically engineered crop – but the
treatment creates chemical residues and run off,
making it disastrous for surrounding ecosystems. It also
encourages the development of ‘superweeds’ which are
resistant to glyphosate, such as the giant pig weed,
which grows over 2m tall, or Morning Glory. The latter
has evolved a reproductive system which ensures its
tolerance of glyphosate. This was not something
predicted by the genetic engineers.
2. Pleiotropy.
DNA is a complex structure. Altering it in any
way can create new consequences and structures in the
cell’s composition, as well as its relationship with other
cells. Chemists call this Pleiotropy. Genes are not like
Lego pieces – if you change or remove an element,
there are ramifications way beyond the changed ‘piece’.
In every organism, genes, proteins and pathways
interact with one another and are regulated in a
complex, multi-layered network process.
Despite scientists’ claims, it is impossible to
predict the impacts of even a single gene
 modification. Pleiotropic effects have included
alterations in the crop’s nutritional, toxic
and allergenic properties. For example, a GM
soya tested in 1996, developed 27%
higher levels of a major allergen, trypsin-
inhibitor. In 2008 a GM maize had the
unpredicted appearance of a new form of the
protein which is a known allergen. Even
the new technique, called CRISPR, heralded for
its accuracy, still has unknown effects
on non-targeted cells. CRISPR scientists rely on
algorithms to predict the most obvious
cell changes, but in a recent test case there
were 100s of unforeseen effects.
3. Contamination GM crops can – and do - cross
pollinate with wild and non-GM plants.
Other sources of contamination are the
inadvertent spread of seed by farm machinery,
as well as mixing seeds during storage. Cross
pollination will not only contaminate wild
plants, affecting their natural genetic makeup,
but will seriously compromise any organic
or non GM farming system. Despite claims that
GM and non-GM can co-exist, it is
patently untrue.
Genetic engineering is a process by which a
gene or a segment of DNA of an
organism is transferred to another organism.
The term Genetic Engineering was coined by
Jack Williamson in 1951. It was through the
effort of the genomics where genes in each DNA
of an organism are mapped and identified, this
leads the genetic engineers to combine genes
of different organisms creating “Genetically
Modified Organisms” or GMOs.
Agricultural plants are one of the most
frequently cited examples of GMOs. Some
benefits from engineered organisms are:
1. Increase crop yield, reduce the cost of food
production
2. Reduced the need for pesticides and
herbicides
3. Enhance the nutrient composition and food
quality
4. Resistance to pest and diseases
5. Greater food security
6. Medical benefits to the world’s growing
population
7. Organisms grow and mature faster
8. Tolerance to environmental stressors
9. Production of non-protein (bioplastic) or
nonindustrial (ornamental plant) products.
Some Genetically Modified Organisms
In Food and Agricultural Industries
1. Pest Resistance – resists certain pests. Ex. Bt
Corn
2. Virus resistance – resists certain viruses. Ex.
GM papaya or rainbow papaya
3. Herbicide tolerance – tolerance to chemicals
that kills weeds.
4. Fortification – GMO fortified with certain
minerals. Ex. Golden Rice or rice with vit. A
5. Cosmetic Preservation – resist natural
discoloration Ex. Arctic Apple.Apple modified
to suppress the browning due to superficial
damage
6. Increase growth rate – has faster growth rate
than ordinary salmon. Ex. AquAdvantage salmon
GMOs in Non-food crops and Microorganisms
1. Flower production – for modified color and
extended vase life of flower. Ex. Blue roses
2. Paper Production – trees for higher yield of
paper production. Ex. Poplar trees with
genes for ferulic acid
3. Pharmaceutical productions – GMO to produce
pharmaceutical products Ex.
Periwinkle for enhanced production of an alkaloid
vinblastine, a drug for cancer
treatment
4. Bioremediation – can assist in the bioremediation of
polluted site. Ex. Shrub tobacco
5. Enzyme and Drug production – produce enzymes for
food processing and medicine.
Ex. A Bacillus bacterium with a gene of a thermophilic
anaerobe producing CGTase
an enzyme used for food flavor enhancer.
6. GMO in medical field – for diagnosis and treatment of
human dreaded diseases. Ex.
Humulin, insulin produced by bacterium with gene of
human to produce human insulin.
Potential Risks of GMOs
Several concerns arise regarding GMOs, since there are
unknown consequences
when the natural state of an organism is altered. Such
alterations can change the organism’s
metabolism, growth rate, and other environmental
factors. These consequences not only
concerns the GMO but also the natural environment in
which the organism is allowed to
proliferate.
Potential Risk to Humans
1. Possibility of exposure to new allergens in genetically
modified organisms
2. Transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora.
3. Insertion of the genes requires vectors and these
vectors may become part of
the food and may become toxic to the consumer.
4. Several researches validate the link between
genetically engineered foods to
immuno-suppression in rats study, this can also be true
to other animals and
humans.
5. Cancer promoting hormone called insulin-like growth
factor-1 are increased in
GM cows to produce more milk. Study shows that the
hormone could survive
digestion and make its way into the blood stream of the
consumer which is
linked to growth of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and
colon cancer.
6. Nutritional value of food can be altered by genetic
engineering. Study shows
that nutrients are lost in GE foods.
Potential Risk to Environment
1. Emergence of new forms of resistance and secondary
pests and weed problems.
Pests may develop resistance to the GMOs with pest-
resistance, leading to
formation of super pest.
2. Production of new pathogens may result in
recombination of virus and bacteria.
Vectors of the modified gene to the target cell are often
viruses or bacteria. These
vectors may cause new disease not only to the GMOs
but also to the consumers.
3. Presence of GMOs may interfere with the natural
communities through competition
or interaction.
4. GMOs may also interfere with the biochemical cycles.
Bioethics and GMO
There are five sets of ethical concerns, the Nuffield
Council on Bioethics (NCOB) in
the United Kingdom, have raised about GM crops.
1. Potential harm to human health;
2. Potential damage to the environment;
3. Negative impact on traditional farming practice;
4. Excessive corporate dominance; and
5. “Unnaturalness” of the technology. It’s hard to imagine just how small nanotechnology is.
Biosafety on GMOs One nanometer is a billionth of a

International organizations developed principles and meter, or 10-9

treaties that somehow ensure
of a meter. Here are a few illustrative examples
biosafety on GMOs. The World Health Organization
• There are 25,400,000 nanometers in an inch
(WHO) together with Food and Agricultural
• A sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers
Organization (FAO) created Codex Alimentarius
thick
Commission. The Codex is responsible for the
• On a comparative scale, if a marble were a
development of standards, codes of practices,
nanometer, then one meter would be the
guidelines, and recommendations on food
size of the Earth
safety. The principles include pre-market assessments
of the GM food products and its Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to
see and to control individual
evaluation of direct and indirect effects.
atoms and molecules. Everything on Earth is made up of
Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety is an international
atoms—the food we eat, the clothes
environment agreement which
we wear, the buildings and houses we live in, and our
aims to ensure safe handling and use of Living Modified
own bodies.
Organisms (LMOs). The protocol
But something as small as an atom is impossible to see
seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential
with the naked eye. In fact, it’s
risk pose by LMOs resulting from
impossible to see with the microscopes typically used in
modern biotechnology. They require the exporters to
a high school science classes. The
seek consent from the importers before
microscopes needed to see things at the nanoscale
its first shipment of LMOs.
were invented relatively recently—about 30
The International Trade Agreement on Labeling of GM
years ago. Once scientists had the right tools, such as
foods and food products.
the scanning tunneling microscope
The agreement requires the exporters of GM products
(STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM), the age
to label their products and give rights
of nanotechnology was born.
to importing parties to reject or accept the GM
Although modern nanoscience and nanotechnology are
products.
quite new, nanoscale materials
Lesson 11: The Nano World
were used for centuries. Alternate-sized gold and silver
COURSE MATERIALS:
particles created colors in the stained
Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and
glass windows of medieval churches hundreds of years
application of extremely small things and
ago. The artists back then just didn’t
can be used across all the other science fields, such as
know that the process they used to create these
chemistry, biology, physics, materials
beautiful works of art actually led to changes in
science, and engineering
the composition of the materials they were working
Fundamental Concepts in Nanoscience and with.
Nanotechnology
Today's scientists and engineers are finding a wide
variety of ways to deliberately make
materials at the nanoscale to take advantage of their
enhanced properties such as higher
strength, lighter weight, increased control of light
spectrum, and greater chemical reactivity than
their larger-scale counterparts.
ETHICAL ISSUES RAISED BY NANOTECHNOLOGY
Although the modern world is already gearing towards
nanotechnology due to
advantages its offer, there are still ethical and societal
impacts that we need to consider. These
impacts can be summarized as follow:
HEALTH ISSUES
1. The cost of nano-devices and nano surgery tools
and the unknown technical capacity of theses
devices and tools.
2. The effect on the relationship between
physician and patient.
3. The effect on health system
SOCIETAL ISSUES
1. The effect on developing countries
Getting the roles of the process cycle od
nanotechnology.
The change in the need for raw material.
2. The effect on laborers
Undetermined employee security
Unprescribed dangers resulting from nano-
products.
3. The effect on managerial issues.
FUTURISTIC ISSUES
1. Enlarging expectations and unsubstantial
estimations
2. Possible risks
3. Clinical applications of nanotechnological
processes
4. The problem of confidentiality
5. The problem of equality
6. The problem of definition of being a human
Lesson 12: GENE THERAPY
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses
genes to treat or prevent disease. In the
future, this technique may allow doctors to treat a
disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s
cells instead of using drugs or surgery. Researchers are
testing several approaches to gene
therapy, including:
▪ Replacing a mutated gene that causes disease with a
healthy copy of the gene.
▪ Inactivating, or “knocking out,” a mutated gene that is
functioning improperly.
▪ Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a
disease.
Although gene therapy is a promising treatment
option for a number of diseases
(including inherited disorders, some types of cancer,
and certain viral infections), the technique
remains risky and is still under study to make sure that it
will be safe and effective. Gene
therapy is currently being tested only for diseases that
have no other cures.
ETHICAL ISSUES OF THE GENETHERAPY
There are many issues and questions about the
ethics of gene therapy surrounding the
practice. Gene therapy involves making changes to a
person's genetic profile, which is like a set
of instructions or a blueprint for that unique individual.
One of the ethical concerns involves
whether it's morally right to make such changes,
especially if they may also affect future
generations. Other concerns about the ethics of gene
therapy have to do with the application of
the technique; many feel it's acceptable to use it to
treat harmful disorders but not to enhance a
person's fundamental traits. There are also concerns
relating to accessibility of these expensive
treatments and the risk of them becoming reserved for
the wealthy.
One of the main concerns about the ethics of
gene therapy has to do with the existence
of the practice itself and whether it's morally
acceptable. All types of gene therapy involve
permanently altering the genetic profile of an
individual; one type called germline gene therapy
allows the changes to be passed on to offspring and
future generations. Opponents of the
practice express reservations about the risks of
unknown long range side effects and
developmental problems for future generations and
believe that more study is necessary before
taking these risks. Some also take issue with gene
therapy on religious grounds because they
view it as tampering with God's design. Supporters of
gene therapy cite the enormous potential
to save lives and eradicate genetic disorders and seem
to feel the rewards are worth the risks.
Another serious concern about the ethics of gene
therapy is that it has the potential to be misused.
Many individuals agree that it can be beneficial for the
treatment of life-altering harmful disorders.
There are concerns, however, that this could lead to
using it to eliminate any difference from
society's ideal. Some people are concerned that gene
therapy could be the beginning of genetic
engineering to create the "perfect" human. Another
concern is the potential abuse of gene therapy
to enhance a person's performance, thereby altering
abilities such as intelligence, speed, or
coordination. Researchers and the American Medical
Association agree that such uses of gene
therapy would be a violation of ethics and shouldn't be
permitted.
There are also issues about the cost of
treatment related to the ethics of gene therapy.
Given the experimental nature of gene therapy, it is
very expensive, and usually not covered by
medical insurance. The cost makes gene therapy
treatments out of reach for most individuals
since it is generally only affordable for the very rich.
There is concern that gene therapy could
become an exclusive treatment reserved for the
wealthy elite, with others denied access. In
keeping with the medical code of ethics, many in the
medical community are committed to
making it accessible to all regardless of socioeconomic
status.
LESSON 13: ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Maybe some of you have seen posters, ads, and
the like carrying the message ''Go Green!'' But, what
does it mean to ''go green''? It takes a variety of forms,
but essentially, going green means being mindful of the
natural environment and making economic choices that
aren't harmful to the earth. When people ''go green,''
they are practicing environmental awareness. The term
means exactly what you expect it to: being aware of the
natural environment and making choices that benefit--
rather than hurt--the earth. In recent years,
environmental awareness has gained increased
attention for opening the minds of the many about the
possible environmental consequences of different
human made activities.
20 Major Current Environmental Problems
1. Pollution
There are 7 key types of pollution – air, water, soil,
noise, radioactive, light and thermal.
All these types of pollution are interlinked and influence
each other. Therefore we need to tackle
all of them together. Pollution of air, water and soil
requires millions of years to recover. While
water pollution is caused by oil spill, acid rain, urban
runoff, air pollution is caused by various
gases and toxins released by industries and factories
and combustion of fossil fuels; soil
pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste that
deprives soil from essential nutrients.
2. Soil Degradation
Globally, food security depends on the factor whether
or not soils are in good condition
to produce crops. According to UN estimates, about 12
million hectares of farmland a year get
seriously degraded.Soils get damaged due to many
reasons. Such reasons include erosion,
overgrazing, overexposure to pollutants, monoculture
planting, soil compaction, land-use
conversion and many more.
3. Global Warming
Climate changes like global warming are the result of
human practices like the emission
of greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising
temperatures of the oceans and the earth’
surface causing more violent and destructive natural
disasters that include flooding, melting of
polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural
patterns of precipitation that may result to
flash floods, hurricanes, wildfires, drought, excessive
snow or desertification.
4. Overpopulation
The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable
levels as it faces a shortage of
resources like water, fuel and food. Population
explosion in less developed and developing
countries is straining the already scarce resources.
Intensive agriculture practiced to produce
food damages the environment through the use of
chemical fertilizer, pesticides and
insecticides. Overpopulation is also one of the crucial
current environmental problems.
5. Natural Resource Depletion
Another crucial current environmental problem is the
depletion of Natural resources. We, humans,
use so many natural resources that it would need
almost 1.5 Earths to cover all our needs. This will
further increase in the future due to massive
industrialization in Asian countries like India and
China. Increased use of natural resources leads to a
number of other environmental issues,
such as industrialization, population growth and air
pollution.
Over time, natural resource depletion will lead to an
energy crisis. The chemicals emitted from
many natural resources contribute to climate change.
Fossil fuel consumption results in the
emission of greenhouse gases, which is primarily
responsible for global warming and climate
change.
6. Generating Unsustainable Waste
The huge production of waste due to our
hyperconsumption is a major threat to the
environment. As per the study, the average person
produces 4.3 pounds of waste per day. This
hyperconsumption results in non-biodegradable trash in
the form of plastic packaging, toxic e-waste,
and harmful chemicals that leach into our waterways.
When this waste ends up in landfills, it
generates enormous amounts of methane, which ranks
as one of the worst greenhouse gases
because of its high potential for global warming. It
creates severe explosion hazards.
7. Waste Disposal
The overconsumption of resources and the creation of
plastics are creating a global crisis of
waste disposal. Developed countries are notorious for
producing an excessive amount of waste or
garbage and then sadly, dumping these waste in the
oceans or less developed countries. Plastic,
fast food, packaging and cheap electronic wastes also
threaten the health being of humans. Waste
disposal is, therefore, one of the urgent current
environmental problems.
8. Deforestation
Our forests are natural sinks of carbon dioxide and
produce fresh oxygen, as well as
helps in regulating temperature and rainfall. At present,
forests cover 30% of the land, but every
year tree cover lessens, due to the growing population
demand for more food, shelter and cloth.
Deforestation simply means clearing of green cover and
make that land available for residential,
industrial or commercial purposes.
9. Polar Ice Caps
The issue of the melting of polar ice caps is a
contentious one. Although NASA studies
have shown that the amount of ice in Antarctica is
increasing, however, this increase is only
one-third of what is being lost in the Arctic. There is
enough evidence that shows sea levels are
rising, and the melting of Arctic ice caps is a major
contributor. Over time, the melting of polar
ice caps could lead to extensive flooding, contamination
of drinking water and major changes in
ecosystems.
10. Loss of Biodiversity
Human activity is leading to the extinction of species
and habitats and loss of
biodiversity. Ecosystems, which took millions of years to
perfect, are in danger when any
species population begin to vanish. Another example is
the destruction of coral reefs in the
various oceans, which support the rich marine life.
Balance of natural processes and resources
should be balanced since they are crucial to the survival
of the ecosystem.
11. Climate Change
Climate change is yet another environmental problem
that has surfaced in the last couple of
decades. It occurs due to global warming, which
happens due to the increase in temperature of the
atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and the release of
harmful gases by industries. Climate change has various
harmful effects but not limited to the melting of polar
ice, change in
seasons, occurrence of new diseases, frequent
occurrence of floods and change in overall
weather scenario.
12. Ocean Acidification
It is a direct impact of excessive production of CO2. 25%
of total atmospheric CO2 is
produced by humans. The ocean acidity has increased
by the last 250 years, but by 2100, it
may shoot up by 150%. The main impact is on marine
life like shellfish and plankton and in
return the entire ecosystem.
13. The Nitrogen Cycle
We often ignore the effects of the use of nitrogen by
humans. Nitrogen is a crucial
component of all life. A process through which it is
converted or ‘fixed’ to a more usable form is
called fixation. The fixation happens biologically or
through lightning, or it can be done
industrially. People have learned to convert nitrogen
gas to ammonia (NH3-) and fertilizers that
are nitrogen-rich to supplement the amount of nitrogen
fixed naturally. Problems may occur
when humans intervene in its natural nitrogen cycle.
It is estimated that agriculture may be responsible for
about 50% of the nitrogen fixation on
earth through the cultivation of nitrogen-fixing crops
and the production of human-made
fertilizers. When nitrogen is used more than plant
demand, it can leach from soils into
waterways and contributes again to another
consequence called eutrophication. Excess levels
of nitrogen in water can hamper marine ecosystems,
through overstimulation of plant and algae
growth. This blocks the light from getting into deeper
waters, thus damaging the rest of the
marine population. The problem can also occur during
nitrification and denitrification. Nitrous
oxide (N2O) can be formed when the chemical process
is not completed. N2O is a potent
greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.
14. Ozone Layer Depletion
The ozone layer is an invisible layer of protection Overfishing affects natural ecosystems severely and
around the planet that protects us from leads to an imbalance of ocean life.

the sun’s harmful rays. The depletion of the crucial Around 63% of global fish stocks are estimated to be
Ozone layer of the atmosphere is attributed overfished. Overfishing caused fishing

to pollution caused by Chlorine and Bromide found in fleets to migrate to new waters that would further
Chloro-fluoro carbons (CFCs). Once these deplete the fish stocks. Moreover, it has

toxic gases reach the upper atmosphere, they create a negative effects on coastal communities that rely on
hole in the ozone layer, the biggest of fishing to support their living.

which is above the Antarctic by disassembling it since 18. Urban Sprawl

they attract an oxygen atom from Ozone
Urban sprawl refers to the migration of population from
(O3), leaving O2 only as a free gas. high-density urban areas to lowdensity rural areas,
which results in the spreading of the city over more and
CFCs are banned in many industries and consumer
more rural land.
products. The ozone layer is valuable
Sprawl results in land degradation, increased traffic,
because it prevents harmful UV radiation from reaching
environmental issues and health issues.
the earth. This is one of the most
The ever-growing demand for land displaces the natural
important current environmental problems.
environment consisting of flora and
15. Acid Rain
fauna, instead of being replaced.
Acid rain occurs due to the presence of certain
19. Public Health Issues
pollutants in the atmosphere. Acid rain
The current environmental problems pose a lot of risk
can be caused due to combustion of fossil fuels or
to the health of humans and
erupting volcanoes or rotting vegetation
animals. Dirty water is the biggest health risk in the
which releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into
world and poses a threat to the quality of life
the atmosphere. Acid rain is a known
and public health. Runoff to rivers carries with it toxins,
environmental problem that can have a serious effect
chemicals and disease-carrying
on human health, wildlife and aquatic
organisms. Pollutants cause respiratory diseases like
species.
Asthma and cardiac-vascular problems.
16. Water Pollution
High temperatures encourage the spread of infectious
Clean drinking water is becoming a rare commodity. diseases like Dengue. Polluted
Water is becoming an economic and
environment and medicine abuse may also lead to
political issue as the human population fights for this stronger variants of bacteria and viruses that
resource. One of the options suggested is
may bring about deadly diseases like COVID 19.
using the process of desalinization. Industrial
20. Genetic Engineering
development is filling our rivers, seas and oceans with
toxic pollutants, which are a major threat to human Genetic modification of food using biotechnology is
health as they continue to pollute those called genetic engineering. Genetic

bodies of water. modification of food results in increased toxins and

diseases as genes from an allergic plant can
17. Overfishing
transfer to the target plant. Genetically modified crops
can cause serious environmental
problems as an engineered gene may prove toxic to
wildlife.
Another drawback is that increased use of toxins to
make insect resistant plants can cause
resultant organisms to become resistant to antibiotics.
The need for change in our daily lives and the
movements of our government is growing.
Since so many different factors come into play, such as
voting, governmental issues, the desire
to stick to a routine, many people don’t consider that
what they do will affect future generations.
If humans continue moving forward the way we do
now, towards the future, then there will be no
future at all to consider. Although humans are
somehow already trying, there are still so many
things we can do to try and put a dent in what we
already know. By raising awareness in your
local community and within your families about these
issues, you can help contribute to a more
environmentally conscious and friendly place for you
and your future generations to live.
Lesson 14: Climate Change and the Energy Crisis
Climate Change
Climate is sometimes mistaken for weather. But climate
is different from weather
because it is measured over a long period of time,
whereas weather can change from day to
day, or from year to year. The climate of an area
includes seasonal temperature and rainfall
averages, and wind patterns. Different places have
different climates. A desert, for example, is
referred to as an arid climate because little water falls,
as rain or snow, during the year. Other
types of climate include tropical climates, which are hot
and humid, and temperate climates,
which have warm summers and cooler winters.
Climate change is the long-term alteration of
temperature and typical weather patterns in
a place. It is said to be caused by increasing amount of
greenhouses gases particularly carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere. Naturally, greenhouse gases
trap enough heat so that during night when
there is no source of heat energy particularly the sun,
heat on earth is still enough for all the
organisms to survive. However, due to human made
activities, the increase in these gases lead to
over trapping of heat that is resulting to global warming
causing worldwide climate change.
Climate change could refer to a particular location or
the planet as a whole. Climate
change may cause weather patterns to be less
predictable. These unexpected weather patterns
can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in
regions that rely on farming because
expected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer
be relied on. Climate change has also
been connected with other damaging weather events
such as more frequent and more intense
hurricanes, floods, downpours, and winter storms.
In Polar Regions, the warming global temperatures
associated with climate change
have meant ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an
accelerated rate from season to season.
This contributes to sea levels rising in different regions
of the planet. Together with expanding
ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting
rise in sea level has begun to damage
coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion.
The cause of current climate change is largely human
activity, like burning fossil fuels,
like natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning these materials
releases greenhouse gases into Earth’s
atmosphere causing the average temperature to rise.
This warming of the planet impacts local
and regional climates. Throughout Earth's history,
climate is really changing but when occurring
naturally, this is a slow process that has taken place
over hundreds and thousands of years.
Unfortunately, human influence this world wide climate
to change at a much faster rate.
One of the top contributory to greenhouse gases are
power plants that use non renewable
energy sources like coals and fossil fuels. This issue has
been acknowledge by stakeholders forcing
them to consider alternative sources of energy like
clean energy sources. Aside from environmental
impacts, this is timely since non renewable sources
actually are already on the verge of being
unavailable due to humans’ over consumptions leading
to worldwide energy crisis.
Energy Crisis
The energy crisis refers to the fact that sooner or later
we may run out of energy.
There is the danger that humans may experience severe
energy shortages in the coming
decades. This may result in shortages of power,
difficulties with agriculture and so on.
From time immemorial people have used cow-dung and
firewood as the main sources of energy.
Later they have begun to use coal and petroleum and
most recently nuclear and solar energy.
The rise in consumption of petroleum and its products
during the last two decades has
increased very much and the stock of petroleum and
other sources of energy are fast depleting.
In fact, the world has become frightened over the
energy crisis. The oil-producing countries
have held the whole world to collect money and have
increased the price of oil manifolds
recently, hitting specially the developing and
underdeveloped countries below their bets.
Causes
The causes of energy shortages include:
• Over-reliance on non renewable energy sources.
• Poor energy infrastructure.
• Some countries siphoning energy off from others.
• Poor energy efficiency.
• Overuse of energy.
Impact of Energy Crisis
This crisis of conventional energy source is standing on
the way of socio-economic
growth in the developing and underdeveloped
countries. Of petroleum products, diesel and
kerosene are much more extensively used in India to
run pump-sets and tractors in agricultural
fields and domestic usages. At the present rate of
consumption, the source of all conventional
energy are depleting at a faster rate.
Solution of Energy Crisis
It is heartening to note that scientists and technologists
have taken steps to face the crisis.
They are advising both short and long-term measures.
We can solve the problem of energy crisis, if we do the
simple acts as below:
1. Use less energy.
2. Improve energy infrastructure.
3. Save energy where possible.
4. Rely less on fossil fuels.
5. Switch to renewable energy.
6. Go vegan – vegan foods are less energy intensive to
produce.
7. Fly less.
8. Drive less.
9. Take public transport.
10. Campaign to improve awareness of the energy crisis.
11. Educate others about the energy crisis.
12. Install energy-efficient appliances in the home.
13. Save water.
14. Do not waste food.
15. Insulate your property.
In the rural areas people are being advised to
use more agricultural wastes and cow-dung. Bio-gas
plants should have to be encouraged for cooking and
lighting purpose. Hydroelectric power stations, though
they produce only few percentage of the total power in
the Philippines, should be encouraged further.
Geological explorations are to be intensified for locating
deposits of natural gas. But the most interesting is that
in this moment of crisis scientists have already started
works to preserve atomic and solar energy, an endless
source of energy. They have already developed solar
cooking range though not commercially
Renewable or Clean Energy Sources:
Renewable energy is energy that has been derived from
earth’s natural resources that are not
finite or exhaustible, such as wind and sunlight.
Renewable energy is an alternative to the
traditional energy that relies on fossil fuels, and it tends
to be much less harmful to the
environment. These are also known as clean energy
since when used, these types of energy
are known to emit very minimal environmental harms
1. Solar.
Solar energy is derived by capturing radiant energy from
sunlight and converting it into
heat, electricity, or hot water. Photovoltaic (PV) systems
can convert direct sunlight into
electricity through the use of solar cells.
Benefits
One of the benefits of solar energy is that sunlight is
functionally endless. With
the technology to harvest it, there is a limitless supply
of solar energy, meaning it could
render fossil fuels obsolete. Relying on solar energy
rather than fossil fuels also helps us
improve public health and environmental conditions. In
the long term, solar energy could
also eliminate energy costs, and in the short term,
reduce your energy bills.
Current Limitations
Although solar energy will save you money in the long
run, it tends to be a significant
upfront cost and is an unrealistic expenses for most
households. For personal homes,
homeowners also need to have the ample sunlight and
space to arrange their solar panels,
which limits who can realistically adopt this technology
at the individual level.
2. Wind
Wind farms capture the energy of wind flow by using
turbines and converting it into
electricity. There are several forms of systems used to
convert wind energy and each vary.
Commercial grade wind-powered generating systems
can power many different organizations,
while single-wind turbines are used to help supplement
pre-existing energy organizations.
Another form is utility-scale wind farms, which are
purchased by contract or wholesale.
Technically, wind energy is a form of solar energy. The
phenomenon we call “wind” is caused by
the differences in temperature in the atmosphere
combined with the rotation of Earth and the
geography of the planet.
Benefits
Wind energy is a clean energy source, which means that
it doesn’t pollute the air like other
forms of energy. Wind energy doesn’t produce carbon
dioxide, or release any harmful products that can cause
environmental degradation or negatively affect human
health
like smog, acid rain, or other heat-trapping gases.
Investment in wind energy technology
can also open up new avenues for jobs and job training,
as the turbines on farms need
to be serviced and maintained to keep running. Geothermal heat is heat that is trapped beneath the
earth’s crust from the formation of
Current Limitations
the Earth 4.5 billion years ago and from radioactive
Since wind farms tend to be built in rural or remote
decay. Sometimes large amounts of this
areas, they are usually far from
heat escapes naturally, but all at once, resulting in
bustling cities where the electricity is needed most.
familiar occurrences, such as volcanic
Wind energy must be transported via
eruptions and geysers. This heat can be captured and
transition lines, leading to higher costs. Although wind
used to produce geothermal energy by
turbines produce very little
using steam that comes from the heated water pumping
pollution, some cities oppose them since they dominate
below the surface, which then rises to
skylines and generate noise.
the top and can be used to operate a turbine.
Wind turbines also threaten local wildlife like birds,
which are sometimes killed by Benefits

striking the arms of the turbine while flying. Geothermal energy is not as common as other types of
renewable energy sources, but it
3. Hydroelectric
has a significant potential for energy supply. Since it can
Dams are what people most associate when it comes to
be built underground, it leaves
hydroelectric power. Water flows
very little footprint on land. Geothermal energy is
through the dam’s turbines to produce electricity,
naturally replenished and therefore
known as pumped-storage hydropower. Run-ofriver
hydropower uses a channel to funnel water through does not run a risk of depleting (on a human timescale)
rather than powering it through a dam.
Current Limitations
Benefits
Cost plays a major factor when it comes to
Hydroelectric power is very versatile and can be disadvantages of geothermal energy. Not
generated using both large scale projects,
only is it costly to build the infrastructure, but another
like the Hoover Dam, and small scale projects like major concern is its vulnerability to
underwater turbines and lower dams on
earthquakes in certain regions of the world.
small rivers and streams. Hydroelectric power does not
5. Ocean
generate pollution, and therefore is a
The ocean can produce two types of energy: thermal
much more environmentally-friendly energy option for
and mechanical. Ocean thermal energy
our environment.
relies on warm water surface temperatures to generate
Current Limitations
energy through a variety of different
Although hydroelectric power does not pollute the air, it
systems. Ocean mechanical energy uses the ebbs and
disrupts waterways and
flows of the tides to generate energy,
negatively affects the animals that live in them,
which is created by the earth’s rotation and gravity from
changing water levels, currents, and
the moon.
migration paths for many fish and other freshwater
Benefits
ecosystems.
Unlike other forms of renewable energy, wave energy is
4. Geothermal
predictable and it’s easy to
estimate the amount of energy that will be produced. Current Limitations
Instead of relying on varying
Since hydrogen needs energy to be produced, it is
factors, such as sun and wind, wave energy is much inefficient when it comes to
more consistent. This type of
preventing pollution.
renewable energy is also abundant, the most populated
7. Biomass
cities tend to be near oceans
Bioenergy is a renewable energy derived from biomass.
and harbors, making it easier to harness this energy for
Biomass is organic matter that
the local population. The
comes from recently living plants and organisms. Using
potential of wave energy is an astounding as yet
wood in your fireplace is an example of
untapped energy resource.
biomass that most people are familiar with. There are
Current Limitations
various methods used to generate energy
Those who live near the ocean definitely benefit from
through the use of biomass. This can be done by
wave energy, but those who live in
burning biomass, or harnessing methane gas
landlocked states won’t have ready access to this
which is produced by the natural decomposition of
energy. Another disadvantage to
organic materials in ponds or even landfills.
ocean energy is that it can disturb the ocean’s many
Benefits
delicate ecosystems. Although it is
The use of biomass in energy production creates carbon
a very clean source of energy, large machinery needs to
dioxide that is put into the air,
be built nearby to help capture
but the regeneration of plants consumes the same
this form energy, which can cause disruptions to the
amount of carbon dioxide, which is
ocean floor and the sea life that
said to create a balanced atmosphere. Biomass can be
habitats it. Another factor to consider is weather, when
used in a number of different
rough weather occurs it changes
ways in our daily lives, not only for personal use, but
the consistency of the waves, thus producing lower
businesses as well. This energy
energy output when compared to
came from wood, biofuels like ethanol, and energy
normal waves without stormy weather.
generated from methane captured
6. Hydrogen
from landfills or by burning municipal waste.
Hydrogen needs to be combined with other elements,
Current Limitations
such as oxygen to make water as it does
Although new plants need carbon dioxide to grow,
not occur naturally as a gas on its own. When hydrogen
plants take time to grow. We also
is separated from another element it
don’t yet have widespread technology that can use
can be used for both fuel and electricity.
biomass in lieu of fossil fuels.
Benefits
Renewable Energy: What Can You Do?
Hydrogen can be used as a clean burning fuel, which
As a consumer you have several opportunities to make
leads to less pollution and a
an impact on improving the
cleaner environment. It can also be used for fuel cells
environment through the choice of a greener energy
which are similar to batteries and
solution. If you’re a homeowner, you have
can be used for powering an electric motor.
the option of installing solar panels in your home. Solar
panels not only reduce your energy

costs, but help improve your standard of living with a

safer, more eco-friendlier energy choice

that doesn’t depend on resources that harm the

environment. There are also alternatives for a

greener way of life offered by your electric companies.

The Philippines, geologically, is a very strategic country

when it comes to renewable

sources of energy since we are surrounded by water,

near the equator and sits on the pacific

ring of fire. Ironically, however our current status

suggests that majority of our energy sources

still come from non renewable like coal and fossil fuels.
Although there are initiatives taken by

the government as to producing clean energy, financial,

economic and some related factors still

hinder us on achieving such. It is our task as citizens of

this country to take necessary actions,

even small steps, even our own simple ways to help our
country conserve energy and maximize

what we have right now without harming the

environment