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= Slow Technology = From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Slow technology is the rational use of state-of-the-art technology during development (in particular at the design stage), where “rational use” indicates a high consideration to the environmental, social and economic impacts of the deployment of that technology. Roughly speaking, given a problem, if a technology cannot be shown to be integral to the solution, then it must not be used.

Slow technology is a response to the overconsumption of high technology, a trend that is not sustainable in the long run. It is to be distinguished from low technology by the fact that it embraces high-tech, so long as its use is carefully justified, and the above-mentioned impacts are properly quantified. Slow tech also involves developing a solution over a long timescale, to some respect to avoid the bandwagon effect but mostly to ensure high quality. This is to be likened to the development of a medical drug, for which the median time to market in North America is about 12 years.

Origins
The term “slow tech” first appeared in 2009, in "Slow-Tech: Manifesto for an Over-wound World" by Andrew Price. It was later used by academics and advocates for digital sobriety.

Design principles
In slow tech, designers and engineers are urged to take into account sustainability issues in their design. Put simply by Patrignani and Whitehouse, the end product should be “good, clean and fair”.

Repairability and recycling
Slow tech products can be repaired, rather than replaced. The skills required to fix a product should not be high (ideally such that the consumer is able to do so), and the necessary components must be widely available. In that respect, slow tech draws inspiration from the “right to repair” movement.

When repair is not possible, slow tech products can be largely recycled, or their end of life is otherwise not a burden on the environment. These issues should be integrated into the design specification to help professionals make more informed decisions. For example, the following questions should be answered:


 * Can this product be recycled? If so, at what proportion, and in what way?

Scientific research on materials can provide perspective, background, methods, and data for designing with materials so as to minimize their environmental impact.

Accessibility
Slow tech solutions take into account the breadth of possible consumer profiles.

References and Sources
Category:History of technology Category:Design Category:Simple living