Environmental Issues (Edexcel GCSE Computer Science): Revision Note

What is an environmental issue?

• An environmental issue in the context of Computer Science is the impact of creating, using and disposing of digital devices has on the environment

• Three environmental issues to consider are:

  • Energy consumption

  • Manufacturing

  • Replacement cycle & disposal

Energy Consumption

Why is energy consumption an issue?

• Energy consumption is an environmental issue caused by the growing number of digital devices being used across the world

• Data centres are believed to account for between 1-3% of global energy consumption

• The use of data centres is increasing as users become more reliant on cloud storage for business and personal data storage

• Fossil fuels are used to generate electricity to run data centres, leading to an increase in:

  • Greenhouse gas emissions

  • Air pollution

  • Water pollution

  • Land degradation

  • Impact on wildlife

Manufacturing

Why is manufacturing an issue?

• Manufacturing digital devices puts huge demand on natural resources which are in short supply

• Activities such as mining have negative environmental consequences such as:

  • Water pollution

  • Habitat destruction

Replacement Cycle & Disposal

Why is replacement cycle an issue?

• A replacement cycle is how often digital devices such as smartphones, computers, servers or machinery are replaced

• A timeframe for a replacement cycle is typically measured in years

• As timeframes are reduced due to demand, there are environmental consequences such as:

  • Increased E-waste

  • Energy consumption

  • Resource depletion

Why is disposal an issue?

• An increase in E-waste means waste has to go somewhere such as landfill or shipped to other countries for disposal

• The increase in E-waste being put in to landfill can cause environmental issues such as:

  • Pollution - chemicals from E-waste can leak in to soil and water

  • Climate change - landfills produce methane, a greenhouse gas

• E-waste is often shipped abroad to countries with a lower standard of disposal and can lead to:

  • People trawling for metals to be recycled and/or sold

  • People being exposed to harmful materials such as mercury and radioactive isotopes