As our society becomes increasingly reliant and integrated with electronic technology, we are
always upgrading our technology to the new standards and fads. This creates lots of electronic
waste that ends up in landfills, known as e-waste. Even as computer science major, a major that
mostly deals with computing theory and software instead of hardware, the problem of e-waste is
still a concern. After collecting articles found through the Association for Computing
Machinery’s Digital Library, I was able to find many research articles relating to statistics about
e-waste, solutions for reducing e-waste, increasing the sustainability of electronics, and
information about the interactions of people and technology. I’ve learned ways that software
engineers (who are usually computer science majors) can contribute to the e-waste solution, such
as designing sustainable interfaces for mobile phones or websites to facilitate reuse of e-waste.
The sources can be grouped into three categories. One category consists of studies and data about
human-technology interactions and attitudes [Gegenbauer and Huang, Hanks et al., Zhang and
Wakkary], another consists of facts and methods of preventing e-waste [Fang et al., Hanselman
and Pegah, Jain and Wullert, Pryzbyla and Pegah] and the last focuses on information about
improving the sustainability of new and old technologies [Huang and Truong, Kim and Paulos,
Lin and Huang, Gegenbauer and Huang]
Human-technology interactions and attitudes
Humans have unique interactions with electronic devices. Observing the way we interact
with our mobile phones, computers, and appliances and the way we understand their impact on
society and the environment can help us design more ergonomic, efficient, and Earth-friendly
technologies. According to Zhang and Wakkary [2011], “it is necessary to understand users’
actual willingness, attitude and experiences towards e-waste recycling for designing and
developing more effective e-waste recycling programs, infrastructure and services.” In order to
effectively combat e-waste, we need to discover and address the human causes instead of just
treating the symptoms. Kristen Hanks et al. [2008] focused on the current generation by running
a study on 435 undergraduate students at the Indiana University at Bloomington. They drew
some important general conclusions and implications. For example, they discovered that users
tended to not throw electronics directly in the trash or recycle them immediately, instead they
stored them away. This suggests that users still have some attachment to them, either monetarily
or sentimentally.
Similar conclusions were reached by Gegenbauer and Huang [2012] after studying 17
households in Switzerland. The primary focus of their study was to discover ways in which
electronics can be made more sustainable through understanding how humans become attached
to objects. In the course of their study, they submitted their findings to designers who then used
the data to design their products centered on a creative rather than a mass-produced look. This
encouraged creativity in the designers which in turn led to positive responses from the study
participants. This suggests that by designing with sentimentality in mind, we can create more
sustainable electronics.
Facts about e-waste and direct solutions to reducing e-waste
Electronic waste is a global pollution and waste problem. It is currently the fastest
growing type of municipal waste [Jain and Wullert 2002]. In recent years, researchers have been
devising new solutions to reduce and recycle e-waste. Solutions include building new electronics
using recycled components, improving energy efficiency in manufacturing and shipping, and
increasing the availability of used computers [Hanselman and Pegah 2007; Jain and Wullert
2002; Fang et al. 2009]. According to Hanselman and Pegah [2007], researchers from the
Ringling College of Art and Design, “over 133,000 PCs are discarded by U.S. homes and
businesses each day. Less than 10 percent of all electronics are currently recycled” and
“Electronics contain many components that can be harvested and reused, including gold, silver,
palladium, copper, aluminum, steel, and glass” which exemplifies the need for improved
handling of our excess electronics. Fang et al. [2007], researchers from the University of
Michigan provide a great solution for the reuse of computer lab equipment. They created a
Craigslist-like website called eXtend that would encourage computer lab managers to buy and
sell used equipment as opposed to throwing out their old equipment. This prevents the computers
from getting stored away for years or getting unnecessarily recycled.
While Hanselman and Pegah look at the material waste caused by e-waste, Pryzbyla and
Pegah [2007], also from Ringling College, look at the energy waste caused by e-waste. They cite
the energy inefficiency of computer server rooms, which in 2005 consumed 1.2% of the U.S.
national energy. They also target computer labs, which waste energy when not being used and
require cooling. They suggest methods in which computing can be made more efficient, such as
centralizing servers into IT utility companies, much how like electricity is centralized into
electric utility companies. All of these direct solutions contribute to the task of tackling the ewaste problem on a local level.
Solutions to improving sustainability
Sustainable electronics will last longer and be more efficient, useful, and reusable than
disposable electronics. Our current society is more focused on the disposable technology
paradigm, which is “characterized by technology that comes with the expectation of a short
usage lifetime, despite the potential for a longer functional lifetime” [Huang and Truong 2008].
Huang and Truong [2008], researchers from the University of Toronto, focus on improving the
sustainability of mobile phones through improved interfaces, improved design ergonomics, and
providing data for other researchers to develop solutions with. Although some of their solutions
are outdated by today’s standards (such as a phone that can transform from a flip phone to a
candy bar phone to a slide-out), the concept behind them is still relevant to making phones easier
to use and more personal and customizable.
Kim and Paulos [2011] and Lin and Huang [2010] take a different approach to
sustainability. Rather than suggesting solutions to improve new technologies, they provide ways
we can repurpose old technologies into useful creations. Lin and Huang created an application
called Reuse to improve the way consumers find DIY opportunities for items that they already
own. “The Reuse application leverages content from existing DIY websites but employs a
bottom-up search mechanism that allows of users to search based on the items that she wants to
repurpose. This application is intended to encourage and motivate people to reuse, renew, and
remanufacture what they own to extend the lifecycle and utility of objects.” This simple idea will
provide consumers with new, creative ways to reuse materials they already own. This website
could then feature the creative DIY reuse ideas proposed by Kim and Paulos. Some creative
ideas include a desk made from old keyboards and a scanner, and a mailbox made from an Apple
G4. Gegenbauer and Huang [2012] further expand on this with ideas such as a small MP3 player
that uses a removable USB flash drive to store music, and laptops/tablets that are able to use
replaceable skins such as leather coverings.