1. How much power does the internet use?
http://www.psfk.com/2011/04/data-center-power-usage-infographic.html
This article also has a really cool infographic of how internet usage is divided among websites.
Software computing is often perceived as an environmentally friendly undertaking. However, energy choices to power cloud computing is often everything but environmentally friendly. In a report released by Greenpeace, it was found that the IT sector relied heavily on coal and nuclear energy sources. Facebook is the leader in power usage, composing 11% of power used by data centers. However, announced plans to improve energy efficiency of its data center in Oregon by 38%. Because data center's energy consumption is growing 12% per year, regulation to improve current energy production for cloud computing must be implemented across all major data centers.
2. How dirty is your data?
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf
This is a green report released by Greenpace. In the executive summary, it talks about cloud computing being IT’s biggest innovation and dispruption. Because of this, cloud computing has the potential of being unsustainable. The report contains data from the largest IT brands which reveal their dependency on dirty energy technologies. Information requires physical storage and access to reliable electricity. The report looks at the need for the IT sector to define ‘green’ as being more ‘efficient’. The article closes on key recommendations for the sector.
3. "European Commission - Environment - Waste - WEEE." EUROPA - European Commission - Homepage. European Commission, 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm>.
This is the website of the European Commission Environment. It outlines the EUs policies regarding electronic waste, in particular its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive. This directive is aimed at increasing the collection and recycling (or re-use) of e-waste in the EU. It discusses how the main problem facing disposal efforts today is the unregulated shipment of much of this waste to developing countries, where they are harvested and the remains burned. The ECE discusses the societal and environmental impacts of the policy, and where it is headed in the future.
4. “Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).” European Parliament and Council on Waste. European Parliament Report, 09 August 2010. 25 May 2011.
This is a government document recording the discussion by the European Parliament and Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment on where the EUs e-waste policies and current directive are headed. It analyzes the current problems facing the EUs efforts to decrease unregulated waste or shipment of hazardous materials. It also outlines their strategies for policy reform going forward.
5. "Regulations/Standards | ECycling | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. US Environmental Protection Agency, 02 Dec. 2002. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/rules.htm>.
United States government website outlining the regulations/standards in the US instated and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It explains that although there have been efforts, there is no current Federal policy for dealing with recycling electronic waste material. It also describes the different state mandatory electronics recovery programs.
6. Block, Ben. "Global Pollution and Prevention News: Report Reveals Flawed U.S. E-Waste Policies." Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment. Environmental News Network, 18 Sept. 2008. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/38220>.
This is an article written on the Environmental News Network website that criticizes US hazardous waste laws. It cites a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which states that significant amounts of discarded electronics are being sent to the developing world. The article then goes on to describe and quantify the level of e-waste not being regulated. It offers some suggestions on how and why current EPA policy needs to change.
7. Overview of Intel Superfund Sites in Silicon Valley. Original content reviewed and approved by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Region 9 in 2007. March 2011. Accessed May 2011. <http://intelsuperfundcleanup.com/>
This article describes the history of Intel superfund sites in Silicon Valley Fairchild Semiconductor Case Study. United States Environmental Protection Agency. July 2000.
<http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/live/casestudy_fairchild.html>
This article is a ten year old EPA case study of the Fairchild Semiconductor superfund site in Mountain View, CA. It describes the process that took the site from a “Computer manufacturing facility with extensive solvent contamination” to a “new state-of-the-art building for Netscape Communications, Inc.”
8. Final National Priorities List (NPL) Sites - by State. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed May 2011.<http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/nplfin.htm#CA>
This site is a searchable list of all superfund sites in the United States, with links to more information and other resources available for each site.
http://www.psfk.com/2011/04/data-center-power-usage-infographic.html
This article also has a really cool infographic of how internet usage is divided among websites.
Software computing is often perceived as an environmentally friendly undertaking. However, energy choices to power cloud computing is often everything but environmentally friendly. In a report released by Greenpeace, it was found that the IT sector relied heavily on coal and nuclear energy sources. Facebook is the leader in power usage, composing 11% of power used by data centers. However, announced plans to improve energy efficiency of its data center in Oregon by 38%. Because data center's energy consumption is growing 12% per year, regulation to improve current energy production for cloud computing must be implemented across all major data centers.
2. How dirty is your data?
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf
This is a green report released by Greenpace. In the executive summary, it talks about cloud computing being IT’s biggest innovation and dispruption. Because of this, cloud computing has the potential of being unsustainable. The report contains data from the largest IT brands which reveal their dependency on dirty energy technologies. Information requires physical storage and access to reliable electricity. The report looks at the need for the IT sector to define ‘green’ as being more ‘efficient’. The article closes on key recommendations for the sector.
3. "European Commission - Environment - Waste - WEEE." EUROPA - European Commission - Homepage. European Commission, 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm>.
This is the website of the European Commission Environment. It outlines the EUs policies regarding electronic waste, in particular its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive. This directive is aimed at increasing the collection and recycling (or re-use) of e-waste in the EU. It discusses how the main problem facing disposal efforts today is the unregulated shipment of much of this waste to developing countries, where they are harvested and the remains burned. The ECE discusses the societal and environmental impacts of the policy, and where it is headed in the future.
4. “Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).” European Parliament and Council on Waste. European Parliament Report, 09 August 2010. 25 May 2011.
This is a government document recording the discussion by the European Parliament and Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment on where the EUs e-waste policies and current directive are headed. It analyzes the current problems facing the EUs efforts to decrease unregulated waste or shipment of hazardous materials. It also outlines their strategies for policy reform going forward.
5. "Regulations/Standards | ECycling | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. US Environmental Protection Agency, 02 Dec. 2002. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/rules.htm>.
United States government website outlining the regulations/standards in the US instated and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It explains that although there have been efforts, there is no current Federal policy for dealing with recycling electronic waste material. It also describes the different state mandatory electronics recovery programs.
6. Block, Ben. "Global Pollution and Prevention News: Report Reveals Flawed U.S. E-Waste Policies." Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment. Environmental News Network, 18 Sept. 2008. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/38220>.
This is an article written on the Environmental News Network website that criticizes US hazardous waste laws. It cites a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which states that significant amounts of discarded electronics are being sent to the developing world. The article then goes on to describe and quantify the level of e-waste not being regulated. It offers some suggestions on how and why current EPA policy needs to change.
7. Overview of Intel Superfund Sites in Silicon Valley. Original content reviewed and approved by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Region 9 in 2007. March 2011. Accessed May 2011. <http://intelsuperfundcleanup.com/>
This article describes the history of Intel superfund sites in Silicon Valley Fairchild Semiconductor Case Study. United States Environmental Protection Agency. July 2000.
<http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/live/casestudy_fairchild.html>
This article is a ten year old EPA case study of the Fairchild Semiconductor superfund site in Mountain View, CA. It describes the process that took the site from a “Computer manufacturing facility with extensive solvent contamination” to a “new state-of-the-art building for Netscape Communications, Inc.”
8. Final National Priorities List (NPL) Sites - by State. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed May 2011.<http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/nplfin.htm#CA>
This site is a searchable list of all superfund sites in the United States, with links to more information and other resources available for each site.
