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Computers and the Environment: Understanding and Managing their Impacts

  • Textbook
  • © 2003

Overview

Editors:
  1. Ruediger Kuehr

    1. Zero Emissions Forum, United Nations University, Hamburg, Germany

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    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Eric Williams

    1. Environmental and Sustainable Development Programme, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

Part of the book series: Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science (ECOE, volume 14)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
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  2. Computers and the Environment—An Introduction to Understanding and Managing their Impacts

    • Ruediger Kuehr, German T. Velasquez, Eric Williams
    Pages 1-15

  3. Information Technology Products and the Environment

    • H. Scott Matthews, Deanna H. Matthews
    Pages 17-39

  4. Environmental Impacts in the Production of Personal Computers

    • Eric Williams
    Pages 41-72

  5. How the European Union’s Weee Directive will Change the Market for Electronic Equipment—Two Scenarios

    • Klaus Hieronymi, Axel Schneider
    Pages 73-86

  6. IBM’s Environmental Management of Product Aspects

    • Reinhard Höhn, Anne Brinkley
    Pages 87-98

  7. Environmental Management at Fujitsu Siemens Computers

    • Harald Podratzky
    Pages 99-130

  8. Energy Consumption and Personal Computers

    • Danielle Cole
    Pages 131-159

  9. PCS and Consumers—A Look at Green Demand, Use, and Disposal

    • Mohamed Saied, German T. Velasquez
    Pages 161-181

  10. Strategizing the End-of-Life Handling of Personal Computers: Resell, Upgrade, Recycle

    • Eric Williams, Yukihiro Sasaki
    Pages 183-196

  11. Today’s Markets for used PCS—and Ways to Enhance them

    • Eric Williams, Ruediger Kuehr
    Pages 197-209

  12. Recycling Personal Computers

    • Stefan Klatt
    Pages 211-229

  13. Operations of a Computer Equipment Resource Recovery Facility

    • Joseph Sarkis
    Pages 231-251

  14. Managing PCS Through Policy: Review and Ways to Extend Lifespan

    • Ruediger Kuehr
    Pages 253-278

  15. Back Matter

    Pages 279-285
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Keywords

About this book

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.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Zero Emissions Forum, United Nations University, Hamburg, Germany

    Ruediger Kuehr

  • Environmental and Sustainable Development Programme, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan

    Eric Williams

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