The advent of “green” computer design

Computer manufacturing and consumption are becoming a significant environmental concern. Some fundamental changes are beginning to take place in the computer industry. These changes aren´t about MIPS or megabytes. They´re about manufacturers in the computer industry beginning to look for ways to reduce the resources they consume and the waste they generate, and for ways to make their products more recyclable. This process is known as “green” computer design. One factor driving green design is the fact that computer manufacturing and consumption is growing rapidly and is becoming a significant cause for environmental concern. For example, semiconductor manufacturing is very resource-intensive: making just one wafer requires substantial amounts of energy, photochemicals, acids, hydrocarbon based solvents, and other materials. Meanwhile, computers are also creating a waste disposal problem. Based on current consumption pattern, IBM estimates that discarded computers will occupy 2 million tons of US landfill space by 2000. Making components, etching circuit boards, and other manufacturing processes generate additional tons of waste. Green computer design addresses four primary issues: reducing the resources consumed and the waste generated when producing computers or components; developing cleaner manufacturing processes; minimizing the energy and other resources that computers consume; and enabling computers and components to be used (and thereby stay out of the waste stream) longer