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Personal computers have made life convenient in many ways, but what about their impacts on the environment due to production, use and disposal? Manufacturing computers requires prodigious quantities of fossil fuels, toxic chemicals and water. Rapid improvements in performance mean we often buy a new machine every 1-3 years, which adds up to mountains of waste computers. How should societies respond to manage these environmental impacts? This volume addresses the environmental impacts and management of computers through a set of analyses on issues ranging from environmental assessment, technologies for recycling, consumer behaviour, strategies of computer manufacturing firms, and government policies. One conclusion is that extending the lifespan of computers (e.g. through reselling) is an environmentally and economically effective strategy that deserves more attention from governments, firms and the general public.
More and more people believe we must quickly wean ourselves from fossil fuels - oil, natural gas and coal - to save the planet from environmental catastrophe, wars and economic collapse. In this 2006 book, Professor Jaccard argues that this view is misguided. We have the technological capability to use fossil fuels without emitting climate-threatening greenhouse gases or other pollutants. The transition from conventional oil and gas to their unconventional sources including coal for producing electricity, hydrogen and cleaner-burning fuels will decrease energy dependence on politically unstable regions. In addition, our vast fossil fuel resources will be the cheapest source of clean energy for the next century and perhaps longer, which is critical for the economic and social development of the world's poorer countries. By buying time for increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy technologies and making nuclear power more attractive, fossil fuels will play a key role in humanity's quest for a sustainable energy system.
This book illustrates how green nanotechnology is being used to promote sustainability, including applications in environmental remediation and energy optimization.
Increased consumption of electronic equipment has brought with it a greater demand for rare earth elements and metals. Adding to this is the growth in low carbon technologies such as hybrid fuel vehicles. It is predicted that the global supply of rare earth elements could soon be exhausted. A sustainable approach to the use and recovery of rare earth elements is needed, and this book addresses the political, economic and research agendas concerning them. The problem is discussed thoroughly and a multi-disciplinary team of authors from the chemistry, engineering and biotechnology sectors presents a range of solutions, from traditional metallurgical methods to innovations in biotechnology. Case studies add value to the theory presented, and indirect targets for recovery, such as municipal waste and combustion ash are considered. This book will be essential reading for researchers in academia and industry tackling sustainable element recovery, as well as postgraduate students in chemistry, engineering and biotechnology. Environmental scientists and policy makers will also benefit from reading about potential benefits of recovery from waste streams.
In recent years, socio-political trends toward environmental responsibility and the pressing need to reduce Run-the-Engine (RTE) costs have resulted in the concept of Green IT. Although a significant amount of energy is used to operate routing, switching, and transmission equipment, comparatively less attention has been paid to Green Networking. A
In the second edition of An Introduction to the Geography of Health, Helen Hazen and Peter Anthamatten explore the ways in which geographic ideas and approaches can inform our understanding of health. The book’s focus on a broad range of physical and social factors that drive health in places and spaces offers students and scholars an important holistic perspective on the study of health in the modern era. In this edition, the authors have restructured the book to emphasize the theoretical significance of ecological and social approaches to health. Spatial methods are now reinforced throughout the book, and other qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed in greater depth. Data and...
This book uncovers, explores and analyses the cultural and social factors and values that lie behind waste making, recycling and disposal in the Asia Pacific region, where impressive economic growth has led to significant increases in production, consumption and concomitant waste production. This volume demonstrates the immense scope of waste as a multi-sectoral phenomenon, covering discussions on food, menstrual products, sewage, electronics, scrap, nuclear waste, plastics, and even entire villages as they are submerged underwater by dam building, considered expendable in favour of economic growth. It discusses the wide range of approaches and contexts through which people interact with was...
Measuring the Digital Transformation: A Roadmap for the Future provides new insights into the state of the digital transformation by mapping indicators across a range of areas – from education and innovation, to trade and economic and social outcomes – against current digital policy issues, as presented in Going Digital: Shaping Policies, Improving Lives.
First Published in 2012. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
This resource covers all areas of interest for the practicing engineer as well as for the student at various levels and educational institutions. It features the work of authors from all over the world who have contributed their expertise and support the globally working engineer in finding a solution for today‘s mechanical engineering problems. Each subject is discussed in detail and supported by numerous figures and tables.