The list of the more than 100 replies received is dominated by very innovative, especially mid-to-high-tech (50%), as well as unconventional, such as lateral thinking (10 20%) ones, whereas the low-to-mid tech responses (less than 1/3 of the total) appear to cover functional niches.
Because of the widespread use of cell phones by refugees, tech responses have also sprung up to assist refugees in host countries.
It's a hi-tech response to a low-tech problem.
"What really is a concern to me about this issue is we always have a tendency to want high-tech responses to what in many cases are common-sense low-tech solutions," Dr. Osterholm said.
A mix of high- and low-tech responses come in from people with varying degrees: a Morse code-to-Twitter relay service, smuggling in satellite telephones to Libya, mass faxing medical leaflets on how to treat tear gas, setting up mirror sites, uploading scrambling and encryption programs.
While these types of lower-tech responses to global warming may not get the PR boost of a Prius, but they're much easier -- and cheaper -- to implement and anyone can become a campaigner.
The lesson Ceglowski said we can glean from tech's response to Peter Thiel is the perfect public relations strategy for an industry that proclaims "Black Lives Matter" while overwhelmingly failing to diversify its own staffs.
The typical tech firm response to tax-related critiques is to say they always pay the tax that is due.
Colony, who founded Forrester 25 years ago and has watched tech's response to every recession since, argues that the current crisis won't deflate the technology industry but instead prove how solid it has become.
