Environment
Computer Equipment Disposal – Recycle, Donate Or Do Nothing?
Scott Salter asked: For the last couple of decades, the rapid advances in computing technology have given rise to a corresponding problem of computers becoming quickly obsolete. These days, any computer that is more than 3 years old will be noticeably slower in its performance than a computer that has been manufactured in the last few months. It has therefore become a fact of life in the information age that computers need to be updated on a regular basis in order to utilize the latest software and communications applications. This in turn has led to the problem of what one should do with the rapidly growing stockpile of old computers and other electronic equipment. A company or individual really has one of 3 choices: 1. Do nothing; 2 Donate or; 3. Recycle. This article will discuss each of the options in turn.Before looking closely at the issue of computer equipment recycling, it is worthwhile noting why it so important to do something rather than nothing. Latest studies on the subject have concluded that only around 10-15% of old computer equipment is being recycled. The equipment that isn’t being recycled is either being stored, gathering dust on the tops of cupboards [...]
Eco Friendly Gadgets Get The Green Light
Shaun Parker asked: Global warming and climate change is big in the news at present, and calls for a more sustainable way of living are being directed at consumers at every level. It has become common practice to recycle household waste, sorting through cans, bottles, plastic and paper. Not as common, but eagerly encouraged is collecting organic waste to feed the compost bin, which in turn feeds the vegetables growing in the garden to complete a small sustainable cycle.These are small, simple things that each of us can choose to do, but sometimes the move towards a more sustainable and eco friendly way of life is out of our control. It is time to convince the manufacturers and suppliers of everyday gadgets and gizmos that they too should be adopting a greener approach to their industry. This will give the consumer the power to choose to purchase from an ethically minded business, bolstering the correct attitude towards green consumerism.Of course, some would say that we should be doing without certain products altogether if the thought of climate change is so worrying. The truth of the fact is it is difficult to change the attitudes of the masses by being puritanical. [...]
Poisons From Your PC
Mick Madigan asked: You may feel healthy…. but you’re sitting in front of a big toxic timebomb when you compute.Your computer contains many of the most dangerous chemicals on earth, and they are building up at a location near you!Manufacturers have sealed the toxins inside, but the dumping of obsolete PCs over the years, and crushing them in landfills, will let dangerous substances seep out into surrounding land, air and water.In the US, according to the Safety Council, 60 million PCs are already buried in landfills and 138,000 computers a day will become obsolete – and so ready for dumping – between 2004 and 2009.Just in the UK, up to 2 million Pentium PCs are dumped each year.Also, any disaster is likely to release vast quantities of poisonous material. (One estimate of 9/11 was that the personal computers destroyed contained 200,000 pounds of lead!)How much escaped into the outside world? Judging from onsite readings in the following weeks- a LOT.A computer is environmentally expensive to make. It will use 10 times its weight in fossil fuels plus a tonne of purified water. Polluting substances (at low levels) are also discharged into rivers’ lakes and the air during every stage of [...]
