Greening the Internet
(or rather “Greening ICT”)
George Sadowsky
george.sadowsky@gmail.com
Internet Governance Forum
Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
17 November 2009
“The views expressed in this presentation are
my own personal views, and are not necessarily
those of any organization, specifically including
the World Wide Web Foundation, ISOC (The
Internet Society), and ICANN (Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).”
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Outline of my talk
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Dimensions of “greening”
External greening factors
Factors specific to ICT
ICT processing economics
Adding energy analysis
Positive externalities from use of ICT
Conclusion
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Dimensions of “Greening”
• Inputs: Reducing use of scarce
resources
– Physical materials
• Precious metals
– Energy use
– Include both manufacture and processing
• Outputs: Minimizing negative
externalities
– Material pollutants for recycling scrap
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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External Greening Factors
• ICT industry exists in larger context
• Effects of technological progress
– Example: Substitution of screens for paper
input and output
• LCD panels replacing CRTs
• LED technology replacing fluorescent screens
• Book readers, e-ink, tablet computing
– More efficient battery power technology
• Emphasis on recyclable packaging
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Computer/Networking Factors
• Lower power processors
• Multi-core opportunities
• “Recyclable” technical parts
– Recyclable material (gold, copper)
– Eliminate major poisons (lead, mercury)
– Less informal sector recycling
• Read Swiss EMPA studies for horror stories of
pollution and disease in developing countries
• Apple Computer among the leaders
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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ICT Processing Economics
• Production/transportation cost model useful
– Functions: inputs, manufacture, inventory, delivery
– Functions can be co-located or dispersed
– Depends on relative costs, economics of scale/scope
• Include cost of shipment or other interface delay, transport
damage or loss, (ICT: think security, “cloud” issues)
• ICT historical adjustments to cost changes
– Mainframes, time sharing, minicomputers, PCs, LANs,
client-server, Internet, web services, cloud computing
– Similar shifts in software production and distribution
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Adding Energy Analysis
• Full analysis includes entire life cycle
– Energy costs of manufacture, deployment, use
• Hardware, software, transmission equipment
• Local vs. remote processing and data storage
– Energy costs of transmission of information
• Local networks and long distance networks
• Modems, routers, repeaters, etc.
– Energy and resource reclamation costs of
recycling
• Some countries charge purchaser of equipment
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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ICT Positive Externalities
• Does increasing use of ICT have external
greening effects?
– Telecommuting and teleconferencing
– E-commerce changing pattern of delivery of
physical goods
– Information products on screen, not paper
• Net savings needed to complete the
energy/cost analysis
– Need more than anecdotal/partial evidence
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Conclusion
• Many external factors affect “greening”
• Technological progress contributes positively
• Location of ICT activities influenced by
economics of production
• Need to superimpose energy cost model on
usual ICT production model
• ICT use substitutes for other activities
• Detailed cost models would be useful
17 November 2009
IGF – Sharm el Sheikh
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Thank you!
George Sadowsky
george.sadowsky@gmail.com