Discussion – The Environmental Impact of Electronics Use

Discussion – The Environmental Impact of Electronics Use

Option 1: Damage to the Environment

An item that I frequently use that has a significant negative impact on the environment is electronics, specifically my phone. The manufacture of electronics requires raw materials, including lithium, gold, copper, and cobalt, which are only found in a few regions around the world. Notably, the mining of these materials causes considerable damage to the environment. First, the mining process has a large carbon footprint, and with approximately seven billion smartphone users worldwide, this footprint will only continue to expand. Secondly, the mining of these materials involves the destruction of natural habits through deforestation, consequently damaging the ecosystem. Thirdly, approximately thirteen thousand liters of water are used in the manufacture of an iPhone (Gupta et al., 2021); therefore, large-scale production of millions of such phones causes over-extraction of water. This creates an unsustainable system, meaning that local communities and wildlife depending on water resources end up paying the price for it.

In addition, mining and manufacturing processes generate much toxic waste that, if not properly treated, can cause water pollution, posing a risk to the environment and public health (Miliute-Plepiene, 2019). Further, the improper disposal of used or damaged electronics can also lead to water pollution. My usage of electronics also has a negative impact on the local community because, as mentioned above, e-waste ends up in landfills, particularly due to a lack of proper disposal methods in the community. This poses a danger to public health because these wastes can release toxins that affect the water and air quality of the community (Xavier et al., 2023). In addition, these hazardous conditions pose a threat to the workers in these sectors.

References

Gupta, U., Kim, Y. G., Lee, S., Tse, J., Lee, H. H. S., Wei, G. Y., & Wu, C. J. (2021, February). Chasing carbon: The elusive environmental footprint of computing. In 2021 IEEE International Symposium on High-Performance Computer Architecture (HPCA) (pp. 854-867). IEEE.

Miliute-Plepiene, J. (2019). E-waste and raw materials: From environmental issues to business models.

Xavier, L. H., Ottoni, M., & Abreu, L. P. P. (2023). A comprehensive review of urban mining and the value recovery from e-waste materials. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 190, 106840.

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Discussion – The Environmental Impact of Electronics Use

Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, respond to one of the following options, and label the beginning of your post indicating either Option 1 or Option 2:

Option 1: What items that you frequently use do you think have the greatest negative impact on the environment? Explain how the use of the item or items impacts the environment and the people in your community.
Option 2: What steps might individuals in your own community take to lessen negative impacts on the environment? What are some approaches communities could take to encourage members to reduce waste or negative impacts on the environment?