Sustainability of technology use
One evidence based prediction about our society and it's current digital trajectory is that our electric energy consumption and E-waste will continue at a dangerously unsustainable rate. According to the Phoenix group "This year alone, it’s estimated that we will generate approximately 57.4 million metric tons of e-waste worldwide" (Digital vs. Print 6). Although in the digital age we have greatly reduced our reliance on paper products, in turn helping reduce deforestation, we have created another form of waste that has a considerable environmental impact. Companies like Apple, for example, have created devices that centralize the many digitalized aspects of our lives; however, these devices are built with a shelf life and more often than not end up in the landfill. Not only do these products create tangible waste, they also have their own carbon footprint due to their energy consumption.
To put into perspective, according to the Phoenix group "The carbon output of sending 65 emails is on par with driving an average-sized car 0.6 of a mile. Given that the average office worker sends 40 emails every day, this is comparable to driving 1.8 miles per week" (Digital vs. Print 8). The carbon impact of our digital lives is not tangible and in turn we are mostly oblivious to its impact. As more people become connected online, we have reached an unsustainable point of carbon emissions due to this technology. According to the Phoenix group "Its possible that data centers alone will account for 26% of our entire electricity consumption"(Digital vs. Print 10). Considering how many functions of our modern lives require electricity outside of the internet, this is a very significant amount of energy consumption in the near future if we don’t make an effort to cut down digital technology use across the nation.
“Digital vs. Print Marketing: Which Is the Most Sustainable?” Phoenixlitho, The Phoenix Group of Companies, www.phoenixlitho.com/digital-vs-print-marketing-which-is-the-most-sustainable/.
