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| E-waste |
Society seems to want to make greener choices with the thought of Global Warming and a cleaner planet. With
this in mind, the idea to support the use of electronic devices over
conventional methods of advertising and communication popped up. The logic that
backs this is by using electronic methods for print we are reducing the amount
of energy needed when cutting down trees used in the production of paper. However,
we forget that electronic devices aren't made out of thin air. Manufacturing
these devices requires a generous supply of plastic and precious metals and this
process, too, consumes energy in order to make and distribute the final goods.
Materials Used
A single tablet is made up of a dual-cell lithium polymer
battery, fibreglass, aluminium backing, silicon computer chip(s), a thin film
transistor liquid crystal display, a glass touch screen, and bezel assembly.
The materials used to create these components are either made under natural or
manufactured conditions. Manufacturers produce the polymer, fibreglass,
silicon, and liquid crystals, while nature provides the aluminium and other
minerals used in the making of fibreglass. Unfortunately, obtaining these
natural materials creates problems.
The Environmental Impact of Mining
Mining for minerals such as aluminum negatively affects surrounding
ecosystems. Removal of topsoil and vegetation in order to create the mine evicts
animals from the area and mines release pollutants into the earth, water, and
air. This pollution is caused by the dumping of waste rock, seepage of mine
acidic pit water/waste water, and the expulsion of dust and metallic smoke.
Also, terrestrial mining may instigate the dispersion of metals and sediment
into nearby estuaries and sea. This would damage seafloor environments,
therefore affecting marine life diversity and abundance.
Fact: In the USA,
around 10,500 miles of stream have been affected by acid mine drainage and
approximately half a million acres of land are still not restored from mining
operations.
Sustainability: Forestry
International Paper (a paper company, if you couldn’t
already tell) has stated that the paper-and-pulp industry is able to use, if
managed properly, sustainable resources. There are organizations, like ICFPA (The
International Council of Forest and Paper Associations), that are all about forest
sustainability. In a 2011 progress report, ICFPA wrote, “Since 2000, ICFPA
members have realized a 346% increase in the total area of certified
sustainably managed forests to 273 million ha – representing 53% of the wood
supply used by ICFPA member companies.” ICFPA also reported that their members
have displayed enhanced performance across a variety of environmental issues,
such as:
- Biochemical oxygen demand
- Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and total particulate matter emissions
- Water Use
Forest sustainability is an ongoing process, one that many
companies, both conservation organizations and paper companies, take very
seriously.
Recycling
In 2009, it was observed that the global recycling rate of
paper was 55.6%. Print is more often recycled than electronics simply because
print is easier to recycle. For electronics, not only is the device itself in
need of eventual disposal, but over its lifetime it uses many batteries, which
are not the most environmentally friendly of items to have in a landfill. Over
time, batteries will leak battery acid into the soil and, if not taken care of
properly, could be carried away by runoff. This would infect any land and water
nearby, causing damage to the surrounding ecosystems.
Electricity for Electronics
Society praises top companies for their new tablets being
low power devices. Although, when looking at the big picture, this still does
not account for much. Low power or not, these devices eventually run out of
juice and need to be recharged by electricity (aka more energy). Still don’t
see the big deal? Remember that we are talking about millions of devices
here and the generation of electricity is a significant contributor to
greenhouse gas emissions.
Company Transparency
Possibly the most disturbing fact yet is that certain
companies refuse to disclose information about their environmental impact, as
reported by independent analyst Verdantix. Is ignorance really bliss? Naturally,
the secrecy of their environmental impact puts off some people and makes others
curious – curious enough to make their own educated guesses on some companies’
emissions – and it’s not a pretty number. Nevertheless, companies that actually
have reputable transparency do exist; they even post environmental impact
reports on their website. This act of honesty is relieving in a way; too bad
their statistics aren't.
Deductively, print requires far less maintenance than
electronics. You don’t have to plug in a magazine because it’s low on battery;
you don’t have to buy more pesky batteries once your current batteries are dead
and add to the heap of leaky garbage in the landfills. Print is recyclable,
sustainable, and extremely low on power (seeing as it doesn’t require any). But
in the end, the impact of the two is up to the user.
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