Assessing the environmental impact of software
Efficiency Angel
Germany created Blue Angel, the world's first eco-label for software, back in 2000. The methodology behind Blue Angel could serve as a model for other countries as governments turn their attention to the environmental impact of software.
It is one of those annoying things that I hope consumers will never get used to, nor should they accept it. A device that costs a large amount of money is suddenly no longer of use simply because the required security update is not available. Or perhaps the new application software needs more powerful components or the interfaces are incompatible with other devices? In all these cases, consumers have no option but to replace devices that are actually still working. In other words, the software forces an unnecessary upgrade to the hardware. This common scenario can lead to significant waste of energy and raw materials.
The greatest environmental impact from information and communications technology products happens during the manufacturing process. A rumor still persists that replacing existing technology with more energy-efficient technology is good for climate protection, but the truth is, considerably higher CO2 emissions are produced during manufacture of that "energy efficient" device than during use, so in many cases, the best thing you can do for the environment is keep using the device you already have rather than drive demand for more production.
Now you could argue that short replacement cycles would not be so bad if accompanied with an effective program for recycling. But, in practice, recycling processes do not exist for some metals, which means that valuable materials are irretrievably lost when you throw away a computer. Large quantities of electronic scrap ends up in landfills.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Linux Mint 21.1 Enters Beta Status
With a new version of the Cinnamon Desktop, Linux Mint 21.1 has plenty to offer.
-
4MLinux 41.0 Now Stable and Ready for Use
The developers behind 4MLinux have changed the status of 41.0 to STABLE, which means it's ready for prime time.
-
Xfce 4.18 Coming Soon and Offers Subtle Improvements
The Xfce team has announced the release date of the next iteration of the desktop, which includes a good number of features to polish the fan-favorite Linux UI.
-
Orange Pi Board Has Arch-Based Linux Distribution in the Works
The developers of the Orange Pi board are planning to release an Arch-based Linux distribution available for its hardware as an alternative to Orange Pi OS.
-
Alpine Linux 3.17 Now Available to the General Public
The developers of Alpine Linux have officially announced the release of the latest version of the security-focused Linux distribution.
-
The New StarFighter Linux Laptop Now Available for Preorder
A new, completely customizable Linux laptop is now available to preorder from Star Labs.
-
Critical Escalation Vulnerability Found in the Linux Kernel
A new local privilege escalation vulnerability has been discovered in the Linux kernel and users are encouraged to upgrade/patch immediately.
-
AlmaLinux 8.7 Now Available
The developers of AlmaLinux have released the latest version of the OS, named Stone Smilodon, to the general public.
-
New Arch-Based Linux Distribution Aims to be Beginner-Friendly
CachyOS has been created to serve as a Linux distribution for everyone, even while being based on the more complex Arch Linux.
-
elementary OS 7 Getting Closer to Release
The team behind elementary OS has announced they are now focused on putting the finishing touches on the next major release of the Linux distribution.