The Environmental Impact of Computers : Pt .1

Introduction

The effects of free market consumerism are daily becoming more marked, as we fuss and fret over how we can maintain the lifestyles that we in the west have all become used to without destroying the planet.
Global warming is now not just accepted as being real, we are already seeing large numbers of species being permanently wiped off the face of the Earth and extreme weather conditions becoming normal.

Relying on someone else to save the day is not really an option. Most of us, and that includes the heads of government and industry, would naturally love to resolve the situation but those in charge are beholden to making a short term profit. It's the nature of a free market. If there's something you feel convinced that you need , you will buy it from the cheapest source. And there's always someone who will try to sell it cheaper in order to get market share (and make a living). That means cutting corners or putting off anything perceived as a 'cost' to the last possible moment.

This is really a pivotal moment, when the world can truly only be saved by you. If you do nothing, then you condemn the world. Do something, anything, and we may , possibly, survive.

I hope that's engaged you're interest because now we have the painful task of measuring the cost of the beautiful machine you are using right this moment; you're computer.

For many of us, computers are ubiquitous. They’re at home, schools, workplaces, shops, hospitals, and even cars – all the while having an unseen environmental impact – from the time of their construction, through their operation, until finally they are jettisoned for a newer model. Taking responsibility for your own individual carbon footprint includes consideration of your computer and this guide covers how to be an environmentally conscious computer user.

The computer purchase

Before a computer even leaves the manufacturing plant, it may have required ten times the weight of the product in chemicals and fossil fuels to make it, a British study found that:

“manufacturing a 24kg PC with monitor needs at least 240kg of fossil fuels to provide the energy, and 22kg of chemicals. Add to that, 1.5 tonnes of water, and your desktop system has used up the weight of a sports utility vehicle in materials before it even leaves the factory.”

To make an environmentally conscious purchase of a PC is more difficult than it sounds at this point in time, since environmental concerns are not often the focus of sales people, marketing people, or manufacturers. But there are a few things to consider…

How much power does the PC use?

In the year 2006, go into your typical electronics chain store and ask the sales person to compare the models on display with regard to their power consumption and you will most likely receive a blank confused stare. By the end of this decade, however, PCs and laptops may well have power ratings just like typical household appliances. Until then, it can be difficult to quantify and compare power usage before you make a purchase.

Generally speaking, the more powerful a computer system is the more power it consumes. Don’t buy (or recommend a purchase to someone else) of a computer that features more “horse power” than they are ever likely to need. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t future-proof the purchase for new technologies, but there’s no need for a high end video card for someone who only wants Word, Internet and email and will never get into PC gaming, graphics work, major video editing or rendering.