If you read at least one e-mail with a file before reading this article, you have introduced 50 grams of Co2 into the atmosphere. If you are always on Facebook, you contribute 299 grams per year, and if you want to check this information on the web, you should know that each internet search weighs 0.2 grams. We should not be frightened, but become more and more aware that our digital life - like our analog life - has a considerable ecological footprint, despite the fact that dematerialization induces the illusion that our behaviors have no consequences.
The Internet generates 4% of emissions
Information technology generates 4% of global CO2 emissions and according to a recent report by Capgemini, this figure is projected to increase threefold by 2025 compared to 2010 levels. that by 2025, only IT in the business world will have a carbon footprint equivalent to 463 million vehicles per year. A situation that certainly worsened during the Covid pandemic, with the digital explosion. However, the situation can be improved now by changing habits and approaches.
The importance of data centers
One of the most thorny issues is the centers that store and process data and consume 10 to 50 times more energy per square meter than a traditional office.
According to the International Energy Agency, data centers are responsible for about 1% of global energy demand. A figure that is expected to grow with the development of the digital economy and the number of connected users. The good news is that major cloud operators are investing heavily in improving efficiency and sustainability with renewables. Microsoft, for example, has announced a plan to move 100% of its data centers to renewable energy by 2025.
Amazon recently invested 6.5 gigawatts in wind and solar power. Google has planned to completely get rid of energy from fuel sources by 2030, which remains the same used in most data centers. Another important issue concerns the energy required for the operation of cooling systems. Thus, the telecommunications company Verizon used maching learning to manage cooling, while saving 55 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year in its 24 data centers.
Another issue concerns the impact on the environment derived from the production and disposal of electronic devices. Metal mining, for example, used to produce smartphones, is closely linked to environmental destruction, the exploitation of child labor and illegal work. In addition to the costs related to fossil fuels for the production of devices are added equal costs for the use of the devices themselves. One strategy would be to increase the lifespan of the devices. Fairphone, for example, offers phones designed with modular components so that they can be easily repaired.
Teracube, on the other hand, with a completely biodegradable housing, offers a 4-year warranty, compared to the traditional 18 months. Another pressing issue concerns the elimination of toxic substances from devices that threaten the environment and health. In fact, the annual volume of ewaste is expected to increase to 74 million tonnes by 2030 (according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020). Currently, only 17.4% of e-waste is recycled, while the total value of the metals contained is estimated at about $ 57 billion (of which only 10 is recovered by recycling).
Australia recycles precious metals
Gold, electrical conductors, rare metals: a treasure hidden in electronic devices that, in most cases, is lost. This is not the case in Australia, where what founder Veena Sahajwalla defines as an "urban mine" has been created, a laboratory capable of disassembling and reusing the useful parts of smartphones, computers and televisions and recycling the others. Glass and plastic are melted and used in the ceramics industry and in 3D printing. In 2018, the Indian-born researcher, known worldwide for his invention of green steel, launched the first microfactory at the Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (Smart) Lab on the campus of New South Wales Kensington University. In his view, micro-factories are the future of organic production and will allow local communities to produce many of the materials and resources they need using waste-derived resources.
What companies can do
Organizations can optimize energy consumption by adopting more efficient data transfer mechanisms, recalls CapGemini. For example, switching to edge computing can reduce power consumption by processing data closer to the source. This reduces the need to transmit data to a data center hundreds of kilometers away. In addition, Capgemini estimates that switching to green cloud architectures has had the advantage of reducing costs by approximately 19%.
In recent weeks, Samsung has announced that, starting in 2025, it will incorporate recycled materials into new devices, remove plastic from packaging and aim for a reduction of less than 0.005 W for chargers. However, in general, the road seems long and with quite a few pitfalls. In the United States, Grennpeace accused big tech of being too slow to implement projects, and somewhat inconsistent, and said that some companies provide artificial intelligence to oil companies in order to improve extraction.
What we can do as users
Before we wait for the big-tech moves, each of us can do something to reduce our own green environmental footprint. In terms of hardware, we can weight our purchases according to our real needs and we can make the devices last as long as possible. Online, we can adopt a series of virtuous behaviors (taken from the guide of the French Ecological Transition Agency), such as:
1) Clear email lists and remove attachments from a message we reply to
2) Optimize the size of the files we send: compressed files, images and low definition pdf files…
3) We may consider using temporary storage sites rather than sending them as attachments, especially when there are multiple recipients.
4) Store only what is needed in the cloud
5) Turn off the camera during calls when it is not strictly necessary
6) Turn off GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth functions on your phone or tablet when not in use, or put them in "airplane" mode.
7) Connect the equipment (computer, printer, etc.) to a switched power strip and turn it off when not needed.
8) Unsubscribe from uninteresting newsletters and delete unnecessary messages from your inbox. (Rador)