Green Technology
Steven Munch
INF 103: Computer Literacy
Instructor: Debra Austin
August 23, 2013

Despite the very expensive cost to create green energy technology many people feel that the benefits surely outweigh the cost. Green Technology plays an epic part on our Earth's survivability due to the many benefits that renewable and sustainable green energy provide. As we begin explore the many factors involving the history, developments and recent advancements in green technology. Ensure to keep an open mind regarding your own daily activities and how you might have changed the way you get, use and even save energy. I feel that Heng and Zou provided the best basic forms of inquisition into the possibility of green technology, and stated, we have to commence from three aspects in order to resolve the issue of how could green technology be possible. Firstly, to analyze the ecological paradox of technology per se so as to solve the question of whether a technology can be green. Secondly, to make clear the premise for a technology to be green and the standards of green technology to solve the problem of how the technology can be green; Finally, we must start with the ecological assessment of green technology and draw a clear distinction of the green technology to resolve the problem of how green a technology is (Heng, May2010).
Most people feel that green technology just began just recently. Al Gore produced a documentary film titled An Inconvenient Truth which hit theaters in 2006. This documentary brought to light the effects of global warming and created a public international awareness of the matter. The truth of the matter is that green technology may not have a history, but it surely has a very extensive past. It has been reported that early missionaries documented the Chinese using coal as an energy source as far back as 2000 B.C. and during the 10th Century the Persians used windmills to grind their harvested grain and pumped water from rivers and streams. This usage later continued its development which eventually spread other versions of the windmill to parts of India, China and the Muslim world.
As time passed and civilizations continued to advance along with their innovations, so did their inventions which also complimented the green technological advances in harvesting and harnessing energy. By the 1700s the mining for coal was becoming more dangerous due to the depths of the mines which created an occupational environment for gases and flooding. In 1712, Thomas Newcomen invented the atmospheric engine. This invention basically pumped water out of coal mines to prevent flooding, but it also lead to the invention of the steam engine which was invented by James Watt. During the 1830s coal powered forges were developed along with the production of an ethanol blend which displaced the use of whale oil. This blend was mainly used for the lighting of lamps and was comprised of a high-proof ethyl alcohol. This alcohol blend mainly consisted of 20 to 50 percent turpentine to color the flame. Then by adding a few drops of camphor oil allowed for the masking of the turpentine smell. By the 1860s many distilleries starting producing these alcohol blends producing more than 90 million gallons annually for the purpose of lighting.
As we entered the 20th century, our advancements in green technology have now taken on the forefront of the energy revolution. We started to see developments like the first hydrogen fuel cell invented by William Robert Grove in 1838. Many other inventors or innovators took part in their share of inventions and innovations which created monumental devices and equipment that proved very useful in the harnessing and or harvesting of energy. The race was on and energy was surely a resource people couldn’t get enough of. We as a human race will always require energy and when you can find an easier and better way to do so, what’s the harm right?
By the time we have reached the 21st Century, the