The advancement of technology seems to have come at the expense of nature, at least in a large part. Nature space and wildlife are left to provide materials to create more devices, gadges, manufacture, and so on; people let behind the connection between our own mental and emotional state with nature. Yet, despite the drawbacks, there are ways in which technology can and does bring us closer to natture, especially to those of us who have lived in areas where the connection to healthy wild spaces and wild things are fragile at best.
Applications for walking nature trails from smartphones can help us to see where we are, what we are looking at, and what is around, for example Wheres a Bear. Others can help for identifying species such as NOAH. With this one you can photograph an interesting plant or animal that you want to learn about, send the photo along with a little information about where you found it, and store it in species database. How cool is it to think that your camera phone image could help to identify a new trend in spring flower blooms or the spread (or decline) of some species?
Moreover, over the years, we have witnessed how nature documentaries bring awareness and appreciation for wildlife. Technology have improved recording and play-back equipment. We now have incredible high-definition cameras recording things capturing all the amazing details. Most of us do not have nature right outside the window, and many of us cannot get away to witness these kind of things. Nevertheless, livestreams and camera traps are very useful; we can watch nature from wherever we are.
But, one of the most impotant things technology can do is to show us what damages we are doing to the planet. It helps us to gain a more clear perspective, and have inspiration to innovate and solve these problems in order to protect habitats and species. There is the existence of the satellite imagery which shows a large and small scale some serious issues like deforestation, pollution, etc. Of course, one of the most useful implementations of satellite imagery is Google Earth. This has been an important resource for conservation efforts and vital tool in reconnecting us with nature across the planet. But I wonder myself, do people use these devices to appreciate what is happening, or they just use them to entertain? Is our culture and society interested in this? 