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Cynthetiq · 03-08-2004, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Lived PCs Have Hidden Costs By Stephen Leahy
Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/technology...,62562,00.html

02:00 AM Mar. 08, 2004 PT

What has the environmental impact of both an SUV and a fridge?

Here's a clue: You're using it right now.

It turns out your computer is a much bigger material and energy hog than previously believed. The most effective way to reduce its oversized environmental footprint is to increase its useful lifespan, according to a new book released Monday, Computers and the Environment, by the United Nations University in Tokyo.

The average desktop PC and 17-inch CRT monitor takes an SUV-sized 1.8 tons of water, fossil fuels and chemicals to make, the book reports.

As for energy use, a computer's lifetime energy impact is about the same as a refrigerator, they report. While a computer doesn't use much energy while it's running, its short lifespan and the large amounts of energy needed to construct it make it one of the more energy-intensive appliances.

With a billion machines already sold and annual sales topping 130 million computers worldwide, computers pose serious environmental problems because of their resource and energy use, and the growing mountains of toxic computer waste, said co-editor Eric Williams.

Today's smaller, faster computers are making the problem worse. The more sophisticated the components, the higher the purity requirements for manufacturing, resulting in the use of more energy and materials, said Williams. "Making a 2-gram memory chip requires 1.3 kilograms (1,300 grams) of fossil fuels and materials."

Computer recycling isn't the answer -- only the metals are usually recovered, and the high-tech components and plastics that took so much energy to make are destroyed. However, reselling or upgrading a computer offers five to 20 times greater energy savings than recycling.

"Extending the life of a computer is the most effective way to reduce its environmental impact," he said.

Computers are becoming less and less reusable, said Sheila Davis of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. Incompatibility of components, the need for technical expertise and support, and software-license issues make reuse difficult.

"It's cheaper and a lot easier to buy a new machine now."

Governments, institutions and large businesses are trying to buy greener computers, said Davis. The Environmental Protection Agency is working to create a new "ecolabel" for computers made using less-toxic materials and processes. However, manufacturers are resisting any requirements to extend the life of a computer. "Longevity is a challenge to their current business model," she said.

According to the SVTC, the lifespan of a computer today is just two years.

Mark Newton, Dell Computer's environmental spokesman, said he thinks the lifespan is longer but could not offer an alternative number. Like most of the leading manufacturers, Dell has been refurbishing and reselling computers from its business markets for many years. A recycling program for consumer machines is about 18 months old. For a small fee, Dell will pick up old machines for recycling.

While the long-life, low-impact computer may be a dream, computer owners can do many things to lessen the environmental burden, said Williams. These include using a machine as long as possible, then donating or selling it and buying a used one. Turn off the machine at night and make sure stand-by modes are working -- networked machines are often kept awake by server traffic.

Government incentives are also needed, said Williams. The European Union will require the recycling of all computers by 2005. Though it's a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to increase the sustainability of computers, said Williams. Software license transfers could be made a great deal easier. And tax laws could be changed to allow write-offs for new computers over a longer period of time than three or four years.

"Tax laws ought to reward you for buying a used computer, rather than being penalized."

After I finished reading this, I started to wonder about how the eco-friendly people truly perceive computers. Are the like a car a necessary evil? Do they forgo the computer because of it's inherent badness to reap the benefits of being able to collect and organize efficiently and effectively?