According to the IT and Environment Initiative "a study of the supply chain use of energy, chemicals in the supply chain yielding a 32MB DRAM memory chip showed that at least 1,200 grams of fossil fuels and 72 grams of chemicals are needed to produce one 2-gram memory chip". The Initiative also states "A follow-up study of the total energy used in producing a desktop computer with 17-inch CRT monitor estimates that 6,400 megajoules (MJ), equivalent to 260 kg of fossil fuels. This high energy intensity of manufacturing, combined with rapid turnover in computers, results in an annual life cycle energy burden that is surprisingly high: about 2,600 MJ per year, 1.3 times that of a refrigerator." The article goes on to say that IF the computer were upgraded rather than dumped these figures would reduce considerably but with technology advancing so quickly this is hardly likely to appeal to the consumer-driven masses.

There are many white papers and government initiatives worldwide that go into the facts about this issue and some of the figures are quite horrifying. But some good things are happening as well, like Intel and Google collaborating in an effort to make computers much more energy efficient, with an organisation they're named Climate Savers Computer Initiative. Companies who've already signed up include IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Advanced Micro devices, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft. Their "Mission Possible" is to reduce computer power consumption by 50% by 2010.

In the 80's Dr David Suzuki said "Think Globally, Act Locally" which put some people on the defensive because they felt they couldn't affect the environment on that large a scale, it was too hard ... so in the 00's David Barry tells us to "think locally, and act locally", just to do what we can to lessen our personal environmental footprint. Climate Savers tell us that as an individual user we all have the power to make a difference. By using power management and selecting an energy-efficient computer for future PC purchases, electricity wastage is minimized and harmful greenhouse-gas emissions are reduced.

Think Locally:

• The average desktop PC wastes nearly half of the energy it consumes as heat. This wasted electricity translates to higher electricity bills and increased greenhouse gas emissions. With a few simple steps you can reprogram your computer to go to sleep when it's not in use.
• Make your next computer purchase an "ENERGY STAR" computer (part of the Climate Savers Computer Initative). Intel and Google expect to save consumers and businesses more than $1.8 billion in energy costs over the next 5 years and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual emissions of 2.7 million vehicles.
• Computers use power even when they're turned off, just by being plugged in. Plug all your electronics into one power strip so you can easily switch them all off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Don't use a screen saver. Screen savers are not necessary on modern monitors and studies show they actually consume more energy than allowing the monitor to dim when it's not in use.
• Turn off peripherals such as printers, scanners and speakers when not in use.
• Turn down the brightness setting on your monitor. The brightest setting on a monitor consumes twice the power used by the dimmest setting.
• Use a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops typically consume less power than desktops.
• Close unused applications and turn off your monitor when you're not using it.

There is a great initiative for recycling computers and their by-products in Australia called "Byteback". Byteback is a computer take-back program to help people dispose of unwanted computer equipment responsibly. Because the main aim is to keep old computers out of landfill, equipment deposited at Byteback sites is broken down into components for recycling. Backbyte state categorically that a large percentage of old computer and printers can be recycled, thus saving valuable resources including precious metals which can be re-used. This Victorian based initiative will be closing in mid 2009 but their findings will be used to establish a nation-wide initiative to continue the recycling of computers in Australia. But rest assured there are a number of recycling places around and, if you live in Australia, you can look one up here - computer recycling plants.

Don't bin it - recycle it:

• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is recyclable. Find a Depot near where you live.
• Cardboard boxes are recyclable.
• Universities and Technical Colleges will take old computers and peripherals for their engineering and IT students to work with.
• Find a computer scrap or recycle Company or Organisation for your broken computers and peripherals.
• Schools and Libraries will take working computers and peripherals as donations.
• Swap empty laser toner cartridges and photocopier bottles for cash.
• Computer furniture.
• CDs and DVDs.

Summary
This was not meant to turn into a preachy environmental lecture but I see that it has. I was always under the misapprehension that the IT industry was pretty green and the rude awakening I received when I started to look around at facts and figures was a definite enlightener. It's time we all thought about that next hand held, mobile, desktop or laptop and asked ourselves if we really need it. And, its way past the time where we don't have a steady plan on how to dispose of the kit we not longer want or use. As Kermit says, it's not easy being green, but it's not that hard either.