Smartphones: when IT pollutes
The combination of IT and pollution is certainly not the first thing that springs to mind when considering factors which may be harmful to the environment. You are more likely to think of fossil fuels, transport or the production process of electrical power. IT, at first glance, would seem to be a very clean sector.
This is not the case however, as illustrated by a study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production. That research presents a detailed list of issues involved in the correlation between IT and pollution. Researches focused particularly on the influence of new technologies on global warming, by analysing the effects of products such as PCs, smartphones and other devices.
Technology and CO2 emission: a look at the numbers
The results of the study mentioned above about IT and pollution are somewhat surprising to say the least. If we consider data from 2007, we can observe that smartphones, PCs and other devices contributed 1% of total carbon dioxide emissions.
The situation has of course worsened over the years, and by 2020, the figure is expected to reach a worrying 3.5%. In 2040, total IT related emissions are predicted to reach a staggering 14%. This trend must be kept under control: if we continue the way we are, emissions produced by technological devices will be equivalent to half the amount produced by the transport sector by mid-century.
It is important to note the level of emissions caused by smartphones, which are forecast to rise from 17 to 125 million tonnes per year, with a growth rate of over 700%. Such a significant increase needs to be explained. First of all, we should remember that it is to be expected that a sector which started with very low levels should reach two figure percentages.
Secondly, it must be said that, as far as the smartphone is concerned, the problem is not linked to its use but to its production. This involves a process which begins in a far-off land, in other words the extraction of minerals used in the construction and operation of electrical circuits.
We may also include gold and even the so-called rare earth elements in this category, such as yttrium, lanthanum and other materials which are extracted using intensive human labour, especially in areas of the world such as China and Africa.
Furthermore, we should also consider the whole process relating to the management of the plastic used and the production of the device we see in the shops. The details mentioned above may be seen as an accusation aimed at the producers of hardware and software, not to mention telephone companies.
These businesses, with their marketing strategies, which have been in the public eye for many years, impose the replacement of devices every two years at least, even if the old device is still perfectly functional. It is worth noting the practice of ‘planned obsolescence’, another important factor which greatly reinforces the relationship between IT and pollution.
As we have seen, the use of smartphones has a smaller environmental impact compared to their production. We should not feel completely blameless in using them however, in as far as every time that we send a message or download content, somewhere in the world an energy-hungry server operates on our behalf.
So what can be done? One way to improve the situation regarding IT and pollution involves using renewable energy sources to power servers. It could also be very useful to construct these servers so as to make use of temperature differences during cooling processes.
Naturally, the individual choices of each single user, who may decide to keep their smartphone a bit longer and avoid buying the latest model just a few months after buying their current device can make a big difference.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
