Freon was a wonder chemical before it was found to be a bane of the ozone layer. Automobile drivers are more reckless around bicyclists wearing helmets. Renewable biofuels may actually be less environmentally friendly than fossil fuels due to hidden costs. These are three well chosen examples in the article by Ivan Amato published in the March 24, 2008 Newscripts of Chemical and Engineering News.
The idea is very familiar as the law of unintended consequences. Some of the more interesting examples that turned up at the top of a basic search for the term include:
But Ivan’s wording is striking. The thought process of looking at a solution and asking “How could this become a problem?” triggers a different chain of thought, at least for me, than looking at an action and saying “What might be the consequences?” The solution/problem wording of the question seems to be a more useful tool for strategizing and planning ahead.
Although that could be just negative and short-term thinking on my part. After all, not all unintended consequences are bad. Some are innovative, as Cory Doctorow points out, and those are the ones that will probably make the greatest difference in the long run.
