The environmental effects of computers
Environmental issues
Computers require energy to build. The components that make up computers use energy in their manufacture. The majority of energy sources contribute in various degrees to polluting the atmosphere and the environment. It has been estimated that to build just one computer requires approximately ten times its weight in chemicals and energy!
To make one computer, according to scientists at the UN University in Tokyo, you need:
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- About 250 Kg of fossil fuel.
- Over 20 Kg of chemicals.
- Over 1000 different chemicals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium (all toxic).
- Over 1500 Kg of water.
Around the world, we continue to make computers in huge quantities. Approximately 150 million will be made in the next 12 months alone. If you then multiply that number by the amount of energy, chemicals and water required, it is not difficult to see how computers contribute to pollution. If you also consider that a typical PC would be lucky to be in use for just three years (compared to 10 - 15 years for a car and about 15 for a fridge), you can get an idea of the numbers of PCs involved.
European legislation has been introduced that demands 70% of a PC is recycled when it is finally scrapped. Whilst governments have encouraged recycling, some people have argued that this is the wrong approach. It takes a lot of energy, they argue, to recycle computers! It can also in itself be the cause of environmental damage. For example, PCs are being transported to developing countries such as China for recycling. The process to recover metals such as copper, lead and gold from computer hardware involves the use of acid baths – and this is not good for the environment. It is also not good for the people directly involved in the recovery process. This is because health and safety standards are well below those of the developed countries and the appropriate protective equipment is rarely provided.
A better plan of attack would be to reduce the number of computers being built in the first place. This could be done, for example, by:
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- Encouraging people to buy second-hand PCs with warranties - not many people know about the existence of companies who buy and refurbish computers.
- Giving tax breaks to companies who buy second-hand PCs, rather than giving companies tax breaks to buy new PCs.
- Refurbishing PCs and sending them to developing countries for use there.
- Encouraging people to upgrade existing PCs with new innovations, rather than upgrading their entire PC.
- Encouraging PC manufacturers to invest in making products last longer.
- Encouraging a paperless society. A lot of hard copy is still produced. The more paper used, the more trees have to be cut down. Even if these are from renewable sources, turning trees into paper involves energy as well as involves making parts of forests an eyesore.