From Internet: Knowledge and Community

In what ways is the internet environmentally sustainable?

What cost, environmental factors or impacts are associated with the internet? Are there pollution and waste productions that are decreased due to the internet? Are there cost or higher outputs associated with it?

Links

Revealed: The environmental impact of Google searches [1]

Safeeks response

The internet is this wonderful piece of equipment kind of like a GPS that is connecting all kinds of folks in little ways so that we can go on our computer and send an email with a carbon copy to someone else, in doing so we have just cut back on using paper and fuel to send our message. I see this as a really positive opportunity for us to share knowledge share stories and communicate with each other. If you think about it, if I went into the field and used my grandfather’s technology which was incredibly innovated at the time, he really pushed the envelope on how he communicated environmentally. My grandfather had a lot of equipments that he went into the field with. When he was on his expeditions he would be in the field for months, then he would have to fly his film back to L.A where the editing fields was, so they would look at those films and make sure it was good. Today I can go on an expedition and post the films in real time as I go on and explore and give people the opportunity to experience in real time what I am doing while I am there.

The technology that we have today has and will keep saving our planet in many ways. Like I mention above about posting our videos in real time, we can erase our carbon foot prints in many ways. Plus the internet has made working from home easier for many types of jobs. In doing so we can save fuel from not driving to work, we can even save money on the clothes we use because we might not need to dress in a certain way needed for work. Anyhow as we can see not only can the internet save us money and save the planet from us driving less but what about all those computers and servers all over the world that is using so much energy that we need to create more and more electricity for them? Isn’t this worse for our planet?

Merilyn's Response

One negative aspect that the internet has is that more people are purchasing updated versions of their computers and electronic devices, thus leaving their old electronic devices to be disposed improperly. Most people don't really care where their old electronics go as long as it is out of sight and out of mind. The exposed components within computers and other devices are very harmful to the environment. On the other hand, one positive aspect of the internet is due to the increase of emails and social networks, this cuts down on the use of paper being printed or sent out.