The Environmental Impact of Computing can be split into 3 areas:
- When Manufacturing Devices
- When Using Devices
- When Disposing of Devices.
Manufacturing Technology
Plastic (used for casing and other parts) come from crude oil. Internal components contain gold, silver,copper, mercury, platinum, palladium etc.Extracting these materials uses lots of energy, creates pollution and depletes scarce natural resources.
Using Technology.
Using technology consumes energy. PCs require electricity and most smartphones and tablets require recharging after just a few hours of use. Servers that store data are kept on 24/7. Many of these also require air-conditioned rooms so that they don’t overheat.
Disposing Of Technology
Waste technology is often referred to as e-waste.
It can cause huge damage to the environment and cause a lasting affect on the landscape.
