The electronic devices that make our lives
easier also produce some unwanted side-effects on the environment.
Fortunately, many consumer electronics manufacturers and businesses are
working to create products that keep us productive while reducing energy
demands to lessen our impact on the environment. Here, we take a look at the
newest environmentally friendly technology initiatives.
ITA, EPA & President Obama work
together to increase U.S. Exports
The ITA (International Trade
Administration) and U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) are putting a
plan in place to make good on President Barack Obama's goal to double the
amount of U.S. exports from $1.57 trillion in 2009 to $3.14 trillion in 2015 by
helping with the export of green technology solutions. The goal of the ITA and
EPA is to continue American innovation in the green technology sector in an
effort to boost manufacturing in the U.S. so that products can then be shipped
overseas. And while it's unclear exactly what percentage of green technology
solutions make up the total export goal, it will obviously be a major pillar
for growth in future.
Improving offshore wind power production
with the WindHUB
The U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative and
the University Of Maine recently teamed up to develop a helpful online resource
for potential offshore wind power vendors called WindHUB. The searchable
database aggregates data from multiple coastal states and determines the best
possible locations for implementing offshore wind power collection
technologies. The goal of this partnership is to not only expand on WindHUB's
already significant data set, but to also make the data much easier to access
through an improved user interface. The University of Maine's Advanced
Structures and Composites Center goes far beyond simple data collection and
provides prototyping, testing, and commercialization of solutions to further
grow the offshore wind power industry in a large capacity.
Starting
along the Atlantic coast, the Offshore WindHub program will collect data to
determine the best locations for wind-based energy development.
Renewable energy investments still on
the rise
According to the Worldwatch Institute and
its Vital Signs Online series of reports, renewable energy investment has
continued to grow since 2004. In fact, in 2011 alone, there were $257.5 billion
in green energy investments, a 17% increase over the previous year. China led
the way with $52 billion in renewable energy investments while the United States
followed closely behind with $51 billion at the end of 2011. The growth wasn’t
only seen in industrialized countries, which accounted for 65% of investments,
but actually showed up in developing countries as well (35% of the total). And
80% of those developing country investments were directed to renewables in
Brazil, India, and China.
Apple’s green data center
Apple’s website claims its Maiden, N.C.,
will be “the most environmentally sound data center ever built.” Using a
combination of solar arrays and fuel cells, the data center will produce 60% of
its power onsite; at full capacity, the data center is expected to require
approximately 20 megawatts of power. To ensure the data center remains cool,
the building features a “white cool-roof” that reflects heat, utilizes a system
that pulls in outside air at night and during cool weather, and has a chilled
water storage system that improves chiller efficiency by transferring
electricity consumption to off-peak hours. Built using 14% recycled materials,
the data center has many other design and operational features that have helped
it earn a LEED Platinum certification.
E-waste recycling goal reached
Verizon recently reached a significant
milestone by collecting more than 1 million pounds of e-waste since 2009. Over
the past three years, Verizon has put on 35 Recycling Rallies to make it easier
for consumers to drop off their old electronic devices to be recycled. However,
the company isn’t stopping there; it has set a new goal to collect 1 million
more pounds of e-waste by 2015. This program is a part of Verizon’s overall
sustain-ability approach, which also includes a plan to cut down on carbon
emissions.
A residential energy hub for use with
green energy sources
Axion Power International and The RoseWater
Energy Group recently announced the new Residential Energy Storage Hub REH1210S
(starts at $45,000), which is an alternative home power solution for
consumers. In High Quality Power Mode, the HUB can support/provide a maximum
continuous power output that measures 10 kVA. When paired with wind or a
photovoltaic energy source (such as a solar panel), the Hub can convert
incoming energy into usable power for the home. The Hub also acts as a
generator providing an alternative power source in the event of outages.
The
Residential Energy Hub is designed to use electricity and green energy sources
to provide power to your home during normal usage and outages.
Why do it?
Some estimates suggest there are upward of
600 million obsolete computers in the United States alone. That would be
enough to span six acres and stretch a mile high. Other estimates state 80% of
U.S. e-waste ends up in landfills, while globally 40 million tons winds up in
dumps or is incinerated annually.
Two particularly startling estimates state
that only 10% of unwanted computers are properly recycled, and more than 70%
of discarded electronics are shipped overseas to developing countries with
few, if any, safety regulations. This includes e-waste that U.S. recyclers ship
to countries where unprotected locals burn, tear apart, dump, and bury
electronics. These processes expose workers, communities, wildlife, water
resources, and crops to the hazardous materials the e-waste contains. (Many
estimates, for example, proclaim one computer contains as much as four pounds
of lead, sometimes more.)
How to do it
Proper handling of e-waste begins with the
purchase of electronics that have "green" (environmentally friendly)
traits. One resource that assists in this effort is EPEAT (Electronic Product
Environmental Assessment Tool; www.epeat.net), which maintains a registry of
green electronics. After purchasing electronics, businesses can implement any
number of monitoring and management tools aimed at enabling more efficient
energy use. The FEC (Federal Electronics Challenge) and Energy Star also offer
resources via their websites at www.federalelectronicschallenge.net and
www.energystar.gov.
Once electronics become e-waste, the
primary methods for responsibly handling the devices are to reuse or recycle them.
Reuse can be as simple as donating old electronics to schools, churches, or
other organizations.
Local resources
The EPA (tinyurl.com/6q5nksg) and NCER
(National Center For Electronics Recycling; www.electron-icsrecycling.org)
provide resources for finding local, manufacturer and retailer-, and
government-supported reuse and recycling programs. The EPA's Plug-In To
eCycling program, for example, helps develop reuse and recycle programs through
national and local partners.
Where recycling is concerned, it's
important for businesses to understand what local and state regulations
require. The EPA offers information on the topic, as does the NCER and NERIC
(National Electronics Recycling Infrastructure Clearinghouse;
www.ecyclingresource.org). According to NCER, 25 states currently have laws
concerning how e-waste should be handled.
Arguably, two of the most important
recycling relating issues businesses should consider include making certain
that data is disposed of on old electronics before recycling and that decision
makers select a recycler that handles e-waste responsibly vs. shipping
electronics to impoverished nations with suspect oversight in place.
To find a local recycler and learn more
about donating, Eco Squid
(www.ecosquid.com). Earth 911 (earth911.com), and TechSoup.org provide search
engines and other information.
But wait, that equipment might be
valuable
Before you rush to recycle your old
equipment, make sure it doesn't possess hidden value. XTechnology Group
(www.xtglobal-usa.com) offers not only recycling services that include data
eradication and proper disposal, but also remarketing services that determine
the maximum value of old hardware so that it can be cleared of data and resold
or recycled in a compliant manner.
