The Bigger Picture

Question 1

How is energy consumed by comouter science technologies?

Answer 1

• Production and assembly of equipment
• Functioning of equipment
• Online data storage in data centres
• Recycling of equipment

Question 2

How does e-waste impact on the environment and people?

Answer 2

• Toxic substances (lead, mercury, cobalt) get into the land and water, causing sever health issues
• Many components cannot be recycled or reused
• Millions of tonnes of e-waste are dumped in developing countries every year

Question 3

What are the positives and negatives of resource sustainability with digital devices?

Answer 3

BAD

• Many elements are in short supply, e.g. indium, platinum and silver
• Most of the energy used comes from non-renewable sources

GOOD

• Experts can share research to develop better solutions, and CS allows us to monitor and study the environment and understand how we affect it
• Paperless communication such as email reduces deforestation