An electronic factory in Shenzhen. Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Community organizer and cofounder of the Common Ground Collective Scott Crow told me he agrees that this paradox is problematic. "I see capitalism and technology as interrelated, and don't know if they can exist without each other," he said. "But, also, 'sustainability' to me means so much more than the natural environment. It's all of our environments' homes and open spaces, both mental and online. In that sense, tech is also unsustainable and alienating."For Crow, and many other activists, that revolutionary promise of the web back in the '90s, that it would benefit the global good, has closed. "Largely it's about commerce," he added. "So, when activists use it for 'good' it's such a small piece of the picture." Crow said that there is a constant cost-benefit analysis with technology, especially in the realm of social media and surveillance."They say tech is the last wild frontier, but like everything, it's about capital," he said. "They will grow it until it explodes, implodes, or is rendered useless. I only think about tech largely in relation to larger civilization, which is not sustainable at all. And shit like wind energy and solar panels may or may not be helpful in the long run. I have panels on my house, but it seems like pissing on a forest fire."Back in 2011, Green Peace published a report titled "How Dirty is Your Data: A Look at the Energy Choices That Power Cloud Computing." The introduction states:For anarchists, the state and private property system prevents true sustainability.
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