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Technology News - October 20, 2004 Calculating computing's environmental cost The life-cycle costs of personal computers (PCs) are surprisingly high, according to the most detailed analysis yet conducted, which was published on ES&T's Research ASAP website this week (es035152j). The determination that the "materials intensity" of computer manufacturing is 10 times higher than that of automobiles or refrigerators is particularly alarming because computers have such short useful lifetimes, according to the study's author, Eric Williams of the United Nations University (UNU). Williams found that manufacturing, using, and disposing of one desktop computer with a Pentium III processor and a 17-inch cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor uses at least 260 kilograms of fossil fuels and 6400 megajoules of energy. Although Williams is not the first researcher to use life-cycle analysis to evaluate the materials and energy involved in producing computers, he contends that his study overcomes four weaknesses in previous studies: Not all of the data in the new study are confidential, so critical evaluation of underlying assumptions is possible; manufacturing process steps previously left out are included; and variations among companies and nations are considered. Williams acknowledges that computers are tools that can confer many environmental benefits, such as allowing the environment to be simulated in complex models that can expand human understanding, but he also stresses that they "pack a punch, energy-wise." They demand far more energy than any other home appliance, except a furnace or boiler, he says. Computing equipment differs significantly from many other consumer products because the vast majority of the energy it uses over its lifetime-81%, according to Williams' calculations-is required during the manufacturing process. Most of the energy is used to run the plants where the computer chips are fabricated. "The overall demand of a typical chip plant is equivalent to the energy used by a U.S. city with 60,000-80,000 people," says Ted Smith, executive director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, a nonprofit group. "... _________________________ Peter Anderson, President RECYCLEWORLDS CONSULTING 4513 Vernon Blvd. Suite 15 Madison, WI 53705-4964 Ph: (608) 231-1100 Fax: (608) 233-0011 Cell: (608) 698-1314 eMail: anderson@no.address web: www.recycleworlds.net CONFIDENTIAL This message, and all attachments thereto, is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C., Sections 2510-2521. This message is CONFIDENTIAL. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, then any retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Please notify me if you received this message in error at anderson@no.address and then delete it. |
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