Mobile Phones and Other Digital Media in the Environmental Spotlight

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 5:25 pm

The demand for digital media is huge and continuing to grow rapidly and the resource implications in creating, distributing and using the plethora of products is substantial.  This encompasses energy use, mineral extraction, metals, petrochemicals and labour.  Mobile phone use, particularly smartphones, is at the forefront of this growth.

There are environmental and human implications in meeting the demand for expanding broadband connectivity and fresh digital media offerings.  These require a robust and standards-based assessment of the flows of energy and materials involved in product lifecycles, rather than reliance on proprietary estimates.

Advocates of the digital media revolution extol its environmental benefits by claiming that more trees will be saved.  However, a broader consideration is required of the environmental issues and the effects of toxic waste disposal.   Intense pressure is being placed on the environment by uncontrolled mobile phone recycling, particularly in the developing world.

The digital media industry is currently far from achieving sustainability and it cannot disguise the true position by presenting selective data, anecdotal evidence and failing to deliver.  Certain technology companies, including those who manufacture mobile phones,  like to shout about their green credentials, but often they don’t stand up to close scrutiny, as has beeen evidenced by a recent Greener Electronics Scorecard from Greenpeace.

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