Environmental Issues

Environmental issues in computer science refer to the ecological impacts resulting from the manufacturing, use, and disposal of computers, servers, and related equipment.
This can include factors such as energy consumption, waste production, release of harmful substances, and the lifecycle of IT products.

Energy consumption: Computers, data centres, and networks consume significant amounts of electricity, contributing to global power demand and carbon emissions.
E-waste: Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a major concern. This refers to discarded computer components, which can often contain hazardous materials.
Resource extraction: The production of new IT equipment requires extraction of resources, such as valuable metals and non-renewable raw materials.
Short lifespan of products: Rapid technological advancement can result in devices becoming obsolete quickly, leading to more waste.

Carbon footprint: The electricity used by computer systems contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Pollution: E-waste can lead to environmental pollution, especially when not properly disposed of. Certain components can leak hazardous substances into water and soil.
Depletion of natural resources: The extraction of valuable metals for IT equipment contributes to the depletion of natural resources.

Recycling and proper disposal of e-waste: Ensuring that obsolete or broken electronic components are recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
Energy efficient design: Designing systems to be more energy-efficient can significantly reduce power consumption.
Choosing cloud services: Choosing to use cloud services instead of personal or company servers can reduce power consumption and carbon emissions.
Promoting the lifespan of products: By maintaining and upgrading devices instead of replacing them, the lifespan of products can be increased, reducing both waste and the demand for resource extraction.
Green procurement: Opting for environmentally friendly products when purchasing new IT equipment.

Computer manufacturers, users, and disposers must comply with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 in the UK, which covers the collection, treatment, recycling, and recovery of electrical and electronic equipment.
They must also adhere to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS) regulations 2013, which restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
The Energy Related Products (ERP) Regulations 2013 mandates manufacturers to design energy efficient products.

Organizations and individuals have a moral responsibility to consider the environmental impact of their IT activities.
This includes pushing for sustainability in product usage and disposal and being transparent about environmental impact.
Ethical concerns also include the sourcing of hardware components, ensuring that production does not involve unfair labour practices or excessive environmental harm.