*"Issue: *A/IS creators have opportunities to safeguard human well-being by ensuring that A/IS does no harm to earth’s natural systems or that A/IS contributes to realizing sustainable stewardship, preservation, and/or restoration of earth’s natural systems. A/IS creators have opportunities to prevent A/IS from contributing to the degradation of earth’s natural systems and hence losses to human well-being.It is unwise, and in truth impossible, to separate the well-being of the natural environment of the planet from the well-being of humanity. A range of studies, from the historic to more recent, prove that ecological collapse endangers human existence. Hence, the concept of well-being should encompass planetary wellbeing. Moreover, biodiversity and ecological integrity have intrinsic merit beyond simply their instrumental value to humans.Technology has a long history of contributing to ecological degradation through its role in expanding the scale of resource extraction and environmental pollution, for example, the immense power needs of network computing, which leads to climate change, water scarcity, soil degradation, species extinction, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and destruction of ecosystems which in turn threatens humankind in the long run. These and other costs are often considered externalities and often do not figure into decisions or plans. At the same time, there are many examples, such as photovoltaics and smart grid technology that present potential ways to restore earth’s ecosystems if undertaken within a systems approach aimed at sustainable economic and environmental development.Environmental justice research demonstrates that the negative environmental impacts of technology are commonly concentrated on the middle class and working poor, as well as those suffering from abject poverty, fleeing disaster zones, or otherwise lacking the resources to meet their needs. Ecological impact can thus exacerbate the economic and sociological effects of wealth disparities on human well-being by concentrating environmental injustice onto those who are less well off. Moreover, well-being research findings indicate that unfair economic and social inequality has a dampening effect on everyone's well-being, regardless of economic or social class.In these respects, A/IS are no exception; they can be used in ways that either help or harm the ecological integrity of the planet. It may be fair to say that ecological health and human well-being will, increasingly, depend upon A/IS creators. It is imperative that A/IS creators and stakeholders find ways to use A/IS to do no harm and to reduce the environmental degradation associated with economic growth–while simultaneously identifying applications to restore the ecological health of the planet and thereby safeguarding the well-being of humans. For A/IS to reduce environmental degradation and promote wellbeing, it is required that not only A/IS creators act along such lines, but also that a systems approach is taken by all A/IS stakeholders to find solutions that safeguard human well-being with the understanding that human well-being is inextricable from healthy social, economic, and environmental systems."p.74-75