summary of social responses to manage it and the environment eric williams united nations university
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Summary of social responses to manage IT
and the environment
Eric WilliamsUnited Nations University
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Environmental impactsand IT hardware
1. Hardware• eco-labels• Takeback systems• Getting toxic out• E-waste
2. Applications• Telecommuting• Teleconferencing, paperless office, e-commerce• IT to enhance air/water quality management
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Hardware: Eco-labels
Certification by third-party organizations that model meets certain environmental criteria:
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National takeback systems
European Union – Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) comes into effect 2005. Legislates target of ~ 70% recycling by weight.
Other countries already implementing their own: Switzerland, Japan, Taiwan, etc.
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Getting the lead (and other toxics) out
European Union – Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Goes into effect 2003. Includes ban of lead and certain BFRs in circuit boards. . Legislates target of 70% recycling by weight.
Japanese firms are taking initiative in making lead/halogen free electronics
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Reuse and upgrade
OEMs: many takeback and sell their own refurbished machines (high end)
SME – some specialize in reselling, upgrading (e.g. Computer Renaissance)
Consumers: sometimes sell (e.g. via Ebay) or donate to charity. Most end up in closets.
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E-waste trade
In response to publicity, China banned import of used IT equipment. Some US OEMs and recyclers signed pledge to change practice. Effective?
Desirable solution?
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Applications: telecommuting
Firms – some active in giving option to telecommute. Often IT-related firm (e.g. AT&T, IBM)
Government – US govt. encourages telework internally. But externally….
Mainly based on cost, worker benefit perspective, not environment.
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Teleconferencing, paperless office, e-commerce
Adoption driven by economic factors. Business slump sometimes helps travel substitution with teleconference.
Paperless office not yet adopted on wide scale
Efforts to reduce packaging in e-commerce shipments.
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Rebound effects
Main relevant policy to date is energy taxes, high in some countries.
But…do not apply to imported manufactured goods.
What kinds of policies to address sustainable consumption?
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IT for air/water management
Malaysian example: GIS used to identify source of local quality problem (septic tanks) in Putrajaya . Combination of national, local and firm action to correct.
Wide variety of activities to adopt GIS and other information enhancers in the industrializing world.
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Summary
Reasonable degree of action to manage waste IT, though little addressing reuse. E-waste trade still open issue.
Relatively little concerted action to promote environmental benefits of IT nor control rebound effects: mainly driven by economic and social forces.