CHAPTER

8 Exploring Alternatives
for a Better Future

Overview
In this chapter, alternatives to the ill-effects of highly advanced
modern technologies are explored. Simply becoming more aware of our
environment and how human activities, especially wastes, have negative
impacts not just on the physical but also the social and cultural environments
as well. These will hopefully provide a guide for more environment-friendly
behaviors to lessen the impact of human activities. Exploring cleaner and
renewable sources of energy are also presented as an alternative to human
societies’ reliance on fossil fuels. Lastly, community solutions and practices
are likewise explored to give students a broader perspective of how to
respond to the problems posed by the many technological advances in
modern societies.
Objectives
At the end of the chapter, students shall have been able to:

1. Discuss various environmental principles and apply these in the

analysis of environmental issues.
2. Define appropriate technology and its applications.
3. Identify renewable sources of energy which can be developed as
alternatives to non-renewable sources.

As discussed in previous chapters, science and technology are present in any

society, and the development of science and technology has evolved over time. As
science and technology become more advanced, there are also adverse effects on
the environment and on human societies. While human societies are responsible for
the development of such technologies, human societies are also the ones affected
by such technologies. Thus, it is also the responsibility of human societies to take
action and develop technologies that are more environment-friendly and thus have
lesser negative impacts on human societies.

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Human actions and behavior are informed by knowledge and awareness. Basic
environmental awareness is therefore necessary in order to encourage behaviors
that are not adversary to the environment. In the first chapter, we learned that
science and technology are part of every society and that there are various ways
in understanding their occurrence in society and culture. Chapter two illustrated
how science and technology have permeated into our everyday lives. Chapter three
provided us philosophical as well as anthropological lenses by which to analyze the
relationship between technology and humanity. Chapter four explored the evolution
of technology across time and how science also evolved as seen in the changing
world views about nature and human societies. The fifth chapter emphasized the
link between science and technology and national development, focusing on the
Philippine situation. Chapters six and seven discussed the impacts and related
issues and concerns resulting from advancements in science and technology on the
environment and human societies. This last and final chapter provides alternative
ways of thinking, behaving and acting in order to mitigate the ill-effects brought
about by excessive dependence on fossil fuels, electronics, and other forms of
technological advances in modern societies.
Bridging Learning Opportunity

1. Identify at least one social issue presented in the previous chapters

regarding science and technology.
2. Discuss it in groups of five members each.
3. Prepare and present a short role play per group on how this issue has
impacted a local community, and how best to address it.

8.1 Environmental Awareness and Actions

Environmental awareness is an essential component of environmental education
which inculcates values guided by ecological knowledge. Understanding that the
environment is about us—human beings and human activities are causing many
kinds of environmental pollution. Such environmental consciousness is needed at
every level of social organization where every individual is motivated that awareness
can only be effective if humankind understands environmental implications of their
actions.
An issue-based approach (e.g. information age, climate change, global warming
etc.) provides a well-rounded perspective on various STS issues. This approach brings
students through different levels of understanding, opportunity to develop their
critical abilities and motivate them to take responsible actions looking through the
lens of environmental awareness.

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Below are seven environmental principles containing sets of values which

would guide our behavior and actions on how we handle our environment:

1. Nature knows best.

We cannot command nature except by obeying her. – Francis Bacon
Nature has its own mechanism to maintain the balance of elements and
nutrients. It has its own natural processes, products, its own check and balance
through homeostasis. Humanity must respect the nature, keep close with the
natural processes and products to avoid ecological backlash.
2. All forms of life are important.
Every organism has a role. This is exemplified by the interrelationships among
living organism in a food chain. Every organism is valuable for the maintenance
of homeostasis of nature.

Wikimedia Commons

Food chain levels.

3. Everything is connected to everything else.
In any ecosystem, every biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem interact
bring about a harmonious coexistence.
4. Everything changes.
Evolution of species, cycling change of seasons, low and high tides are just
examples that change is a natural process. Some things should change to bring
about the existence of other living organisms.
5. Everything must go somewhere else.
Anything thrown out carelessly to the environment might be visually lost
but may come in a different form which might be disastrous to humans. Gas
emissions from industries might be gone from our sight but are deposited as
pollutants stored in the atmosphere and may form greenhouse gases or acid
rain which would affect us at a different time.

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6. Ours is a finite earth.

Renewable resources if overused and abused will definitely be depleted. This
awareness should bring about an urgent move to change our attitude towards
the use of resources and be conscious on how to be economical and at the same
time find ways to transform them into re-useable items.
7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation.
Awed by the beauty of nature, aren’t ’we to return back such appreciation by
respecting and preserving its natural process and beauty? But humans instead
misused and abused nature. Aren’t humans supposed to be the most intelligent
creations of God? Gifted with the power of reason and logic, humans should
be able to decide and manifest actions to honor and respect nature. Using
ecological knowledge, humans can best face any environmental issue for the
preservation of our environment.

Such awareness of the environment and the effects of advanced technologies

would hopefully lead to environmental behaviors that contribute to ecological
conservation. However, environmental awareness does not necessarily lead to
positive environmental behaviors among people in society. There is a need to
embed environmental concern in values and norms in each culture. Cultures of many
indigenous peoples in the Philippines show great respect for the environment that
their members engage in activities that have little negative impacts on their immediate
environment. Beliefs in spirits residing in plants, bodies of water and land forms deter
people from destroying such resources. However, changes in world views, beliefs,
values and norms brought about by the market economy fueled by consumerism
have contributed
to environmental
problems in modern
societies.
A number of
environmental actions
have already been
undertaken by different
groups to mitigate the
Wikimedia Commons

effects of environmental
problems brought
about by the impacts of
advanced technologies
Army Reservists conduct Clean-up Drive.

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as discussed in the previous chapters. Common environmental actions include tree

planting and tree growing; clean-up drives; reduce-reuse-recycle initiatives; among
others.
Tree planting and tree growing activities involve mobilizing people to plant
seedlings to possibly prevent flooding and to absorb carbon dioxide emissions.
Clean-up drives are usually done along coastal areas, rivers, and urban streets.
Solid wastes have been growing over time due to the excessive use of plastics and
other non-biodegradable materials for packaging food, water and other necessities.
Clean-up drives mobilize people in clearing waterways including drainage systems
to prevent flooding and water-borne and air-borne diseases.

Wikimedia Commons

Planting a tree for the future.

8.2 Appropriate Technology

Providing for human needs with the least impact on the physical environment and
finite resources of the planet embodies the concept of Appropriate Technology.
It is based on the premise that advanced technologies are often inappropriate
in responding to society’s needs especially in underdeveloped countries. This is
largely because such advanced technologies have been developed in the highly
industrialized countries and are thus not necessarily suited to specific needs
of particular populations in the underdeveloped world. Basically, appropriate
technology minimizes the use of non-renewable resources to solve problems while
promoting self-reliance. This approach emphasizes concern for people and the
environment at its core, and thus contributes to society especially in less developed
economies of the world. Developing appropriate technology can provide educational

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challenges for students for them to think of possible solutions to problems using
available materials that are not harmful to the environment.
Bridging Learning Opportunity
Form five groups. Think of locally developed technological solutions to
respond to the following:
• Population and Economy
• Changes in the Physical Environment
• Health and Nutrition
• Government Policies
• Education and Social Interaction

The appropriateness of technology should be based on cultural factors, cost,

functionality, and acceptance by the users. There are cultures that emphasize more
on group processes rather than individual accomplishments; while there are other
cultures that prioritize individual responsibility over groups. Such cultural factors
should be considered when designing technologies for them to be appropriate to
the given context. Aside from these, the cost of technology should be significantly
low so that people in underdeveloped areas can afford it. Generally, cost is a major
obstacle in the design and construction of appropriate technologies. Purposes
and functions of technology should respond to the needs of society in a particular
context. Technology developed should also be acceptable to its users for it to be
successful. Appropriate technology development is necessary to spur economic
growth in Third World countries like the Philippines.
However, the popular development paradigm is based on the view that capital
should be accumulated and technology should be transferred from the highly
industrialized nations to the underdeveloped nations. This modernization view
has resulted in decades of massive importation of advanced technology and the
implementation of large-scale, capital-intensive production processes in developing
countries. Given the limitations of these countries in terms of capital, the employment
of expensive imported technologies has led to creation of only a few jobs for a small
segment of the labor force. This is why there are only pockets of high productivity in
urban centers while rural areas are largely neglected. This has resulted in the creation
of a dual economic structure consisting of a prosperous modern sector and an
impoverished traditional sector. This is why many of those from rural poor areas flock
to urban centers in search of livelihood opportunities but ending up unemployed
and displaced. This has been the case for decades resulting to the growth of urban
poor populations fueled by high fertility and further in-migration.

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Appropriate technology needs to be developed especially in agriculture to

spur agricultural development in the rural areas thereby responding to the needs of
farming populations. Grounded field research is necessary so that local people can
participate in the identification of needs, problems and solutions. Existing resources
are also tapped in the process in order to maximize mobilization of resources locally
thereby minimizing the need to import technologies. Bottom-up approaches need
to be utilized in this process of appropriate technology development so that these
are contextualized in local settings and respond to identified local needs of people
who will be the users of these technologies.

Wikimedia Commons
The Ifugao rice terraces

Water impounding and water management technologies practiced in upland

rice-producing communities utilize on-farm adaptation in irrigation technology and
management. There are indigenous practices that have long been embedded and
suited to local cultures. These have not only kept these local agricultural practices
alive, but have also contributed to the improvement and sustainability of the use
of water resources. The most popular of these water management technologies
is the Ifugao Rice Terraces which combines agricultural terracing systems with
water pounding. A local example of agricultural technologies for soil and water
conservation that has responded to farming needs in upland contexts in Cebu is
the paril or stonewalls made of piling up rocks and stones in ravines and valleys to
harvest eroded soil along hill slopes thereby creating a space for farming various
crops. Such technologies respond to local needs and are utilized by people in their

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everyday livelihood undertakings. These are examples of appropriate technology

developed by the local communities to respond to their own needs given unique
environmental conditions.
Thus, in order for technology to be appropriately developed to respond to
needs of specific communities, there should be participation and involvement of
the community right from the start of technology development. Research should
be done in collaboration with the community members so as to identify needs and
solicit their ideas on how to address these needs. In this way, technologies developed
by researchers, engineers and other technical persons are useful to the community
users.
The next section provides an overview of alternative energy sources being
explored and tapped to replace non-renewable sources of energy which have had
adverse effects on the environment, climate and human populations.

8.3 Alternative Energy Sources

Bridging Learning Opportunity

Investigate in your hometown. What power plants are operating? What
type of energy source are these plants using? Briefly discuss how the energy
source is converted to electricity.

Based on natural law, energy cannot be created or destroyed. All energy used
up by the society must come from energy sources, which are found in nature. Energy
is used in two forms; liquid fuel, primarily to run engines in cars, airplanes, and ships,
and other industrial machineries; and electricity for lighting, TV sets, computers, and
other appliances. Contemporary society is dependent on technologies mostly run by
electricity, a form of energy that comes from various energy sources. Energy sources
drilled underground or that come from nature are transformed into operational
forms, such as electrical, mechanical, heat or light. Energy sources are classified as
renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Fun Fact
The Chinese hold the record for the earliest known oil
well, drilled around 347 A.D. using bamboo tubes.

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Energy Categories
• petroleum (oil)
Non-renewable Energy Sources Fossil Fuels • coal
• natural gas
• Uranium,
Nuclear Fuels • Thorium
• Solar
• Wind
• Hydropower
Renewable Energy Sources • Geothermal
• Ocean
• Biomass
As discussed in previous chapters, the use of fossil fuels as an energy source
has led to a number of negative impacts on the environment and on human health.
Conventional energy sources include coal, oil, and natural gas. Some countries can
sustain their own energy consumption because they are rich in oil reserves of coal,
oil and natural gas, like the OPEC countries, USA, and Canada, among others. But
most countries around the world such as the Philippines, cannot meet its energy
needs. It has to purchase conventional fuels from other countries. Thus, fuel prices
are largely dependent on the world market.

Fun Fact
Cars were welcome forms of transportation as alternative
to horses in New York during the Industrial Revolution. New
York then was suffering from pollution and diseases brought
about by horse manures. The 120,000 horses roaming
around New York generated 2.4 M pounds of manure daily.

Known ill effects of non-renewable fuels intensify national and

global interest in renewable energy. Renewable energy sources are
obtained from nature produced and reproduced in a natural process.
These sources will never run out because they are constantly been renewed. The
sun is considered as the ultimate source of energy because apart from geothermal
energy all the rest of the renewable sources are derived from sun’s energy.
The sun’s heat warms different areas of the Earth at different rates. Some areas are
warmer compared to other areas. The difference in air temperature across the globe
generates winds. The wind’s energy is captured by turbines which are necessary for
energy transformation. The sun’s energy causes waters in seas and oceans to heat up

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and evaporate to form clouds. As clouds condense, rain falls and flows in rivers and
streams and water falls. The energy of the falling water is captured by hydroelectric
power.
Together, the sun and rain make plants grow. The organic matter that makes up
those plants is known as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity, fuels,
and chemicals. The use of biomass for any of these purposes is called bioenergy.
Renewable energy, being all natural and inexhaustible, is clean and green
energy. Hence, renewable energy is alternative energy, alternative to fossil fuels. In
the Philippines, non-renewable sources like coal, oil, and natural gas account for
68% of the energy used in the country while the rest are renewable sources. This
data suggest that the country greatly relies on energy importation to sustain its
energy needs. The figure below shows the energy distribution of various plants in
the country.

Source: http://www.irena.org/EventDocs/5.%20Philippines.pdf

Distribution of Energy Sources in the Philippines (2013 installed capacity)

Republic Act No. 9513 or the Renewable Energy Law aims to develop, utilize,
and commercialize renewable energy resources, expected to attract investors to put
up more power plants using renewable sources. After all, the Philippines being a
tropical country is abundant in sunlight and winds. Its location in the Pacific Ring of
Fire also makes the country a good source of geothermal energy. The table presents

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a short list of power plants that use renewable energy sources with relatively higher
electricity generation capacity in megawatts (MW). By rough estimate, a megawatt
capacity plant can distribute electricity to 1000 homes.

Power Plants in the Philippines that Use Renewable Energy Sources

Source: https://www.doe.gov.ph/list-existing-power-plants
Energy
Facility Name Location Capacity
Source
Makban Calauan, Laguna 420 MW
Luzon Tiwi Tiwi, Albay 208 MW
Bacman Bacon, Sorsogon 130 MW
Geothermal
Unified Leyte Tongonan, Leyte 538 MW
Visayas
Palinpinon Valencia, Negros Or. 170 MW
Mindanao Mt. Apo Kidapawan, North Cotabto 100 MW
Kalayaan Kalayaan, Laguna 685 MW
Magat Magat, Isabela 360 MW
Luzon
San Roque San Roque, Pangasinan 340 MW
Large Hydro Angat Angat, Bulacan 246 MW
Agus 6 Iligan City 200 MW
Mindanao Agus 2 Lanao del Sur 180 MW
Agus 4 Kidapawan, North Cotabato 154 MW
Burgos Wind Power Burgos, Ilocos Norte
Bangui Wind Power Bangui, Ilocos Norte 270 W
Bangui Wind Power Bangui, Ilocos Norte (combined)
Luzon
Wind
Visayas Caparispisan Wind Caparispisan, Ilocos Norte
TAREC San Lorenzo, Guimaras 54 MW
NABAS Wind Nabas,Aklan 36 MW
Catatagan Solar Catatagan, Batangas 44 MW
Luzon Petrosolar Tarlac City, Tarlac 35 MW
Majestic Rosario, Cavite 33 MW
HELIOS Cadiz City, Neg. Occ. 108 MW
Solar First Toledo Solar Talavera, Toledo, Cebu 60 MW
Visayas
ISLASOL Manapla, Neg. Occ 42 MW
SEPALCO Palo, Leyte 40 MW
Cagayan de Oro, Misamia Oriental,
Mindanao 15 MW (combined)
South Cotabato
Luzon Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Bataan 86 MW (combined)
Biomass Visayas Negros Occidental 46 MW (combined)
Mindanao Crystal Sugar, Bukidnon 10 MW

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Solar Energy
Solar energy is considered a promising source because it is unlimited and
available even in the far future. Solar energy is harnessed using photovoltaic (PV) cells.
The cells convert sunlight into electricity by exciting electrons in the PV cells. Apart from
electricity production, solar energy is also being used for heating water, or cooking
food. For maximum sunlight, that is, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., the PV cells
or series of PV cells called panels, must be installed in areas with no shades, trees,
or obstacles that can cover PV panels from sunlight. For residential houses and
offices, the common place for PV panels are on rooftops like the orphanage building
in Southern, Leyte. The Philippines, being a tropical country, is an ideal location.
The challenge of solar energy is the efficiency of the PV cells to convert sunlight to
electricity. Moreover, building of solar power stations can be very expensive. After
Supertyphoon Yolanda hit the country affecting main electrical lines across the
Visayas, many of the local communities switched to the use of solar power lamps
provided by international aid organizations to them. Through actual utilization of
solar powered technologies, local people learned to appreciate the other alternative
energy sources.

11.76 kW – Orphanage Installation in Southern, Leyte

Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric energy is also known as “hydro power” wherein electricity is
generated by means of falling water. A huge volume of water is initially trapped in
dams. Then water is allowed to fall. The volume of falling water is regulated and
monitored. As water falls, it drives the turbines. As turbines rotate, it powers the
generators, which in turn produces electricity. The amount of electricity generated

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depends primarily on height difference between the source of water and the water’s
outflow. Large hydro power plants have a power capacity ranging from 150 MW to
685 MW. The largest hydro power plant in the country is found in in Kalayaan, Laguna
and with a capacity of 685 MW. In Mindanao, there are a number of power hydro
power plants about 200 MW capacity and less. But in the Visayas, there are no large
hydro plants, although there are hydro power with capacity of 0.5 MW to 5.0 MW,
enough to run small to medium industries.
The disadvantage of hydro power is when dams are built. It may cost the lives of
animals on land and lives in rivers. In the Philippines, hydropower generates a total
of about 3000 megawatts of electricity. This power is close to around 19 percent of
the country’s total electricity consumption.

Ramon F. Velasquez, Wikicommons

Hydro Power Plant in Kalayaan, Laguna is the largest hydro power plant in the Philippines.

Geothermal Energy
The heat energy of the rocks and fluids underneath the Earth’s surface is known as
geothermal energy. This heat energy can be extracted a few kilometers below the
Earth’s crust to thousands of miles near molten rock or magma. In order to generate
electricity, steam from underneath the earth is extracted by means of drilling wells.
Steam drives turbines, and turbines drives generators. Good sources of geothermal
energy are areas with active volcanoes. These areas are usually labelled as “hot spots.”
Areas found within the “Pacific Ring of Fire” are good sources of geothermal energy,
and these include countries such as the Philippines, Japan, and New Zealand.

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Biomass
Biomass is an inherent organic material found in plant and animal remains,
biodegradable garbage, forest residues like barks of trees, sawdust, crop residues,
and animal manure. When these materials are burned, heat is released. Ever since,
humans burn wood to cook and to heat homes. So, oftentimes heat energy from
waste materials are called biofuels. The negative effects of biomass are the by-
products of burning like greenhouse gases.

Wikimedia Commons

IOI Sandakan Biomass Power Plant

Fun Fact
In the year 2016, China's wind power generation capacity
reached 149 GW and generated 241 TWh. China's goal is
to reach 250 GW by 2020. China leads the world in utilizing
wind power.

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Wind Energy
One popular energy source common in the Netherlands and found also in Ilocos
Norte is wind energy. The technology uses a three-blade wind turbine that looks like
an aircraft propeller. A shaft connected to the turbine is in turn connected to the
electric generator. When the wind blow, the blades automatically rotates, spinning
the shaft, then turning the power of the generator. As shown in the photo below, the
white bladed turbines are mounted on 75-meter tall steel towers. In Bangui Wind
Farm, a total of over twenty wind turbines are arranged in a row along the shoreline
of Bangui Bay.

Wikimedia Commons

Wind Mill in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

In sum, environmental awareness and actions should be accompanied with

the development of appropriate technologies at the community level in order to
respond to specific needs without adversely affecting local cultures, environments
and societies. People and social institutions could utilize science and technology
for the betterment of society, instead of destroying it. Each one of us needs to be
more aware regarding the effects of our actions to other aspects of the environment
and society. We also need to contribute to the betterment of society through
environmental actions and use of appropriate technologies utilizing renewable
energy.

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References
Michaelides. E. (2012). Alternative energy sources. London: Springer

Martin, M. Alternative energy sources and technologies. Switzerland:

Springer International Publishing. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-28752-2

Wicklein, Robert. Design Criteria for Sustainable Development in Appropriate

Technology. https://www.iteea.org/File.aspx?id=86706&v=eeddb061

Supplementary Learning Resources

1. Margolus, J., Tara Nakashima, Chantal Orr. Appropriate Technology:
Learning from One Another. (http://web.uvic.ca/~essa/wp-content/
uploads/2010/03/Reclaiming-Sustainability-Conference-Appropriate-
Technology.pdf ).
2. Alternative Energy Sources (https://alternativeenergysourcesv.com/)

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