Environmental Issues (Edexcel GCSE Computer Science)
Revision Note
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Robert HamptonExpertise
Computer Science Content Creator
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
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