E-Reference and the Environment
Posted by: Rebecca Vnuk
We tend to think of print reference materials as being bad for the environment (all those trees!), but going online has an environmental impact as well. With the Copenhagen Climate Conference now underway, this is a good time to examine some of the costs.
The average desktop computer with monitor requires more than 10 times its weight in fossil fuels and chemicals to manufacture, making it more materials intensive than a refrigerator or automobile. The more than 800 million PCs in use today consume huge amounts of electricity. And PCs have a short lifespan, with older models frequently being replaced. While e-waste constitutes only two percent of the trash in landfills, it represents eighty percent of the toxic waste. All of this contributes to resource depletion, environmental pollution, and climate change. If you think recycling your old PC makes you part of the solution, some studies estimate that about eighty percent of the e-waste directed to recycling in the U.S ends up on container ships bound for other countries.
The problem goes beyond whatever hardware you’re using right now. According to research reported on TimesOnline, ”performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea.” A cup of tea may not sound like much, but think how many Google searches are performed every day. Other research has found that every second you spend browsing a simple Web page generates around 20 milligrams of C02.
Reference publishers, along with other businesses, are paying attention. In particular, Karen Christensen of Berkshire Publishing Group is working hard to raise awareness of the environmental impact of e-publishing. A few months ago I wrote a post here on the virtues of paperless reference, and Karen wrote a comment to remind me that “E-“ does not equal “eco-”!
