Alternative Technology

Alternative technologies themselves are part of the Politics Of The Environment . Common political issues related to alternative technologies include whether they are practical for widespread use; whether they are cost-effective; whether widespread adoption would produce negative impacts on the economy, lifestyle or environment (production energy costs/pollutants) ; how to encourage rapid adoption; whether public subsidies for adoption are appropriate; which technologies government regulations should favor, if any, and how environmentally unsound technologies and practices should be regulated; what technological research should be done and how it should be funded; and which of a field of competing alternative technologies should be pursued.

Some "alternative technologies" have in the past or may in the future become widely adopted, after which they might no longer be considered "alternative." For example the use of wind generators to produce electricity.

The term is sometimes confused with Appropriate Technology - although there is significant overlap, the terms have different meanings, particularly related to the importance of low cost and ease of maintenance for developing country applications.

SOME ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES