Environmental Issues
Objectives
- Define and explain the interconnected relationship between human activities, technological advancements, and the natural components of the environment.
- Identify and describe positive environmental impacts of technology, such as advancements in renewable energy technologies, reduced travel-related pollution, and insights into climate change through modeling and simulations.
- Identify and describe negative environmental impacts of technology, including the generation of electronic waste (e-waste), resource depletion due to rare earth element extraction, and the carbon footprint associated with production and transportation.
- Explain how technology contributes to deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, and energy consumption in data centers.
- Explore and evaluate mitigation strategies employed by companies, corporations, and governments to address the negative environmental impacts of technology.
- Encourage critical thinking about the ethical implications of technology and its environmental consequences.
- Discuss the importance of balancing technological progress with environmental sustainability.
In the context of technology and its impact on the environment, the focus is on the manufacturing and use of computers and computer systems and how these interact with and influence our natural world. This includes considerations of pollution, resource depletion, habitat destruction, and broader ecological changes resulting from technological processes.
Resources are needed to in order for computers to be produced, distributed and used. Metals and plastics are used to manufacture components, while energy is expended in distributing equipment and in using it.
Understanding the environment in this context involves recognizing the delicate balance required to sustain our ecosystems and our own well-being as well as of other animals on the planet. Discussions about environmental impact typically address how human actions, including technological innovations, can either contribute to environmental decay or support conservation and sustainable practices.
There are several, easy to use examples e.g.
- It requires a vast amount of energy to keep data centres, web servers online
- Many computer components are hard to recycle as they contain toxic materials, such as lead.
- users are quick to throw away IT equipment e.g. replacing a smartphone every couple of years
All of this means that computers have a heavy impact on the environment, which is unlikely to decrease in the near future. However, many devices are now more power efficient than their predecessors and some companies have come up with innovative ways to save power.
The impacts of technology on the environment are multifaceted and can be both positive and negative. Let's start with the positive.
Positive Impacts:
Renewable Energy Technologies:
Advancements in solar and wind technologies have enabled the generation of clean, renewable energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Reduced Travel
More opportunity for online global communication and collaboration thereby saving on travel and associated pollution plus potential for home working and saving on commuting time
Insight into climate change
Greater insight into the environment and climate through use of modelling and simulations by powerful computers
Energy Efficiency:
The integration of smart technologies in buildings, industries, and transportation enhances energy efficiency, reducing overall energy consumption and environmental impact.
Environmental Monitoring:
Technology allows for better monitoring of environmental conditions, including air and water quality, deforestation, and wildlife tracking, aiding conservation efforts.
Precision Agriculture:
Precision agriculture technologies, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics, optimize resource use, reduce waste, and minimize environmental impact in farming practices.
Negative Impacts:
Electronic Waste (E-Waste):
The fast pace of technological advancements contributes to the generation of electronic waste, as outdated devices are frequently replaced, leading to environmental pollution and resource depletion.
The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 report found that the world dumped a record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste last year — equivalent to the weight of 350 cruise ships the size of the Queen Mary 2, or enough to form a line 125 kilometres long. That's an increase of 21 per cent in five years, the report said1.
Resource Depletion:
The production of electronic devices requires the extraction of rare earth elements, contributing to habitat destruction, soil degradation, and water pollution.
Carbon Footprint:
The production and transportation of technology products contribute to carbon emissions, especially when manufacturing processes rely heavily on fossil fuels.
In a 2023 report of the 100 of the biggest technology companies in the world, ranking them from highest to lowest found that:
Samsung produces more carbon dioxide than any other tech company, and of the “Big Five” tech companies (Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft), Amazon is the largest polluter. Amazon produced over 16 million metric tons of CO2 in 2021–nearly 20 times the carbon footprint of Microsoft, which polluted least out of the 5. That said, Microsoft’s carbon footprint is still pretty big–at nearly 870,000 metric tons, it’s about as big a polluter as the population of Rhode Island2.
Deforestation and Habitat Destruction:
Mining for new materials, especially rare earth elements and other metals used in the production of computers and electronic devices, can contribute to deforestation and other environmental impacts. The global impact of mining on deforestation is influenced by several factors including land clearance, disruption to natural habitats, soil erosion, contamination of water supplies.
Water Pollution:
The manufacturing of electronic components often involves the use of toxic chemicals, which can lead to water pollution if not properly managed. These include:
- Lead: used for solder
- Mercury: used in some batteries and switches
- Cadmium: used in rechargeable batteries and transistors
- Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs): used as flame retardants in plastics
- Arsenic: used in some semconductor processing
Energy Consumption:
The increasing demand for data storage and computing power in data centres requires significant energy consumption, contributing to carbon emissions if the energy is derived from non-renewable sources. Globally, data centers were estimated to use between 196 terawatt hours (TWh) (Masanet et al, 2020) and 400 TWh (Hintemann, 2020) in 2020. This would mean data centres consume between 1-2% of global electricity demand. This figure will have increased significantly in the past four years.
Employment
Technology has created a vast number of different jobs and positions for those working in these industries but it has also posed challenges as some traditional roles have been displaced. This particularly obvious in manufacturing industries but we now see additional risks posed by AI and Machine Learning to many professional roles.
Mitigation Strategies:
As attention has been drawn on many of these environmental issues companies, corporations and governments are working to mitigate the negative impacts by e.g.
- Implementing strategies for product design, reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal to minimize the environmental impact of electronic waste.
- Increasing the use of renewable energy sources to power technology infrastructure, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
- Developing and promoting energy-efficient computing practices and hardware, as well as optimizing software to reduce energy consumption.
- Adopting sustainable sourcing practices for raw materials, ensuring responsible mining and manufacturing processes.
- Enforcing and adhering to environmental regulations and standards to minimize the negative impact of technology on the environment.
- Raising awareness among consumers, businesses, and policymakers about the environmental implications of technology and promoting responsible usage and disposal.
Balancing technological advancements with environmental sustainability is crucial for creating a more harmonious relationship between technology and the natural world. This involves ongoing efforts to minimize negative impacts, promote eco-friendly innovations, and prioritize sustainable practices across the entire lifecycle of technology products.