Over the last few months we have been talking about Green IT through various concepts and have been promoting the use of technology to bring back the touch of green to use it efficiently to limit our hardware needs. But why is this e-waste dangerous??
The smart looking devices we use have their skin, bones and organs made of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, copper, beryllium, barium, chromium, nickel, zinc, and sometimes silver and gold. If these materials are not disposed off properly, they can seep underground and can contaminate underground water leading to bioaccumulation, first in plants and then in animals and humans. To see how in different ways it can affect almost all our organs, click here or here.
If you have money, you can get treated; but why do you want to kill the poor? Once you no longer need your mobile, TV, computer or any other electronic device; dispose it properly. Don't be the reason for somebody's death.
While you have a look at your mobile phone to check the recent post on Facebook, read current Whatsapp messages or even look at this blog—imagine how long you will have this mobile phone for. Two years? One year? Maybe less. And what about your laptop? Your TV? iPad or iPod? The pace of development of technical innovation and more performance and features has increased within the last years, leading us to renew our electronic devices more frequently.
And now just imagine how this happens not only in your household but also in a $175 billion market like the US consumer electronics industry. The central question is: What can you do with your old devices? What did you do in the past to save guacamole?
Often e-waste is discarded at landfills as part of the normal garbage. It does not require an Einstein-like brain to figure out that this is not the preferred solution. Harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury and cadmium that are included in most (all) electronic devices may leach from landfills and eventually contaminate the environment and finally harm nature and humans.
If the devices do not end up in domestic landfills, they might reach China, India or Nigeria. Have a look at this very interesting short video that shows how this unacceptable process works:
But enough about the dark side of the electronic device you hold in your hand. There are several options for how you can change this situation!
The easiest one is to give your old device to a friend or family member. This is a win-win situation. Your family member / friend is happy about the device (maybe a student who can’t afford a new mobile phone / laptop, etc.) and you are glad you did not support the increasing amount of electronic waste on landfills or in developing countries.
Image via Cell Phones for Soldiers
Another option is donating your (functional) e-waste. There is an interesting website that collects cell phones for soldiers. Their mission is to enable soldiers calling home from the battle field. Sounds like a great deal, doesn’t it?
The third option is the so-called e-cycling (recycling for electronics, see here for more information), which has to be seen as controversial. Why? Because it is a market and where there is a market there is also a black market. There are lots of e-cycle offers out there, promising to recycle your electronics in an environment-friendly way. One guess where the devices might end up to boost profits? Exactly: Developing countries. So if you want to e-cycle, try to figure out if the original supplier or retailer takes back the device. A good example is DELL computers that launched a free e-cycling program in 2006.
While companies can contribute to e-cycling, they still need YOUR help. It seems like there are no incentives for e-cycling as it is more convenient to throw the mobile devices into the garbage—but as seen in the above video: is that what you want to support? Lets make a step to reduce our footprint on this earth by taking care where our e-waste ends up!
Mass panic followingChipotle’s recent announcement that rising avocado prices resulting from extreme drought may remove guacamole from menus in the future is a clear, albeit sensationalized, indicator of the increasing importance to business of managing the risks associated with climate change.
Companies today must develop strategies to address the changing climate and the decreasing availability of natural resources to achieve long-term growth. Investors are also influencing companies to become more transparent about their environmental and social impact, according toa recent EY survey. Because of these factors,Triple Pundit reports that the majority of S&P 500 companies now issue sustainability reports.
While the majority of companies’ environmental impacts originate from their operations and require the COO’s involvement, making the Chief Information Officer (CIO) a key partner in developing a company’s sustainability strategy can improve results through implementation of new, high-tech solutions. Green IT solutions can improve a company’s bottom line and decrease its environmental impact in the following ways:
Monitoring energy use: Homes and businesses today have more options than ever before for monitoring energy use and implementing automated energy-saving programs. Today’s green buildings are full of technologies that reduce consumption of water and electricity, thus reducing bills.
Reducing travel through e-communication: By implementing strong videoconferencing and virtual communications tools, companies can cut down on travel, which is largely responsible for carbon emissions as well as timely and costly.
Maximizing technology’s lifespan: Replacing hardware is costly and generates significant, dangerous e-waste. Considering these costs when purchasing new equipment can help companies choose products that are more durable and last longer.
Recycling old technology: When computers and electronics are no longer useful in a business, they can provide tremendous value in underfunded schools and organizations worldwide. Nonprofits such asInterConnection.org recycle, refurbish, and distribute unwanted electronics.
Safely disposing of e-waste: The fastest-growing stream of waste is from disposed electronic devices, which often have dangerous metals and toxins, as well as valuable materials. Ensuring that a company’s discarded electronics are properly recycled can reduce the environmental impact of hazardous waste products.
Throughout the next several months, this blog will explore in-depth several of the issues mentioned above, and more. The environmental problems of today and tomorrow cannot be addressed without using the full potential of Green IT.
