It’s difficult to imagine what life would be like without technology. From computers to cars to smartphones, tech has become an essential part of nearly every aspect of life. Have you ever stopped to consider the negative impact of technology on the environment, though?
We often view technology as a means to improve our lives, and in many cases, that’s mostly true. Even “green” tech may not be all that eco-friendly, though. So how exactly does technology negatively impact the environment?
1. Emissions
Perhaps the most significant negative side-effect of tech on the environment is the pollution it generates. Your laptop and phone may not directly release any emissions, but generating all the electricity they use does. Most energy comes from fossil fuels, so the more energy we use, the more emissions we cause.
Internet functions, like using cellular data on your phone, rely on data centers. These massive server networks use an equally huge amount of electricity. How much? Well, since the average internet user spends 40% of their waking hours online — around seven hours daily — it comes to an estimated 229 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent each year.
According to Statista, the estimated greenhouse gas emissions produced during the estimated life cycle of common consumer electronics broke down like this in 2020:
Device Type | Production Phase Carbon | Use Phase Carbon |
---|---|---|
Desktop PC | 403 kilograms of CO2 equivalent | 545 kilograms of CO2 equivalent |
TV | 302 kilograms of CO2 equivalent | 595 kilograms of CO2 equivalent |
Laptop | 202 kilograms of CO2 equivalent | 85 kilograms of CO2 equivalent |
Tablet | 76 kilograms of CO2 equivalent | 20 kilograms of CO2 equivalent |
Smartphone | 50 kilograms of CO2 equivalent | 8 kilograms of CO2 equivalent |
The production and shipping of technology also leads to more emissions. Factories need energy and trucks need diesel. As the world buys new gadgets, it means more emissions from the manufacturing and logistics industries. Unfortunately, since the advent of electricity, technology and pollution have gone hand-in-hand. Pollution is a perfect example of new technology having a negative impact on sustainability.
2. Depletion of Resources
Creating our gadgets requires a lot of resources, which can harm the environment as well. The materials in technology all come from somewhere, so using too much can deplete the world’s natural resources. Perhaps the biggest negative environmental impact of tech in this regard is habitat destruction.
Even if a factory uses all renewable, sustainably-source materials, it still needs space. Making the space for a new facility often involves things like deforestation. Clearing all this land means that the animals in the area lose their homes, which can lead to endangerment.
A lot of gadgets contain minerals that companies need to mine from the earth. Removing too many of these can offset the area’s natural balance. Even if that’s not an issue, the mining process is typically one that involves a lot of pollutants. Just the creation of a device is one of the greatest examples of how technology can negatively impact the environment.
3. Hazardous Waste
Another negative impact technology has on the environment is in waste management. New electronics come out frequently, which leads to users disposing of their old ones to buy the newest editions. That’s all well and good if they recycle them properly, but that’s not the case a lot of the time.
When it comes to disposing old electronics, you may not know how to recycle them properly. It’s easier to just throw them in the garbage. This can be damaging, though, as many electronics contain toxic metals, which can be harmful if they leak into the environment.
Country | E-Waste Produced in 2022 |
---|---|
China | 12.06 million metric tons |
United States | 7.18 million metric tons |
India | 4.13 million metric tons |
Japan | 2.63 million metric tons |
Brazil | 2.44 million metric tons |
Russia | 1.91 million metric tons |
Indonesia | 1.88 million metric tons |
Germany | 1.76 million metric tons |
United Kingdom | 1.65 million metric tons |
Mexico | 1.49 million metric tons |
According to Statista, China was the top producer of electronic waste (e-waste) in 2022. It produced 12.06 million metric tons that year alone. The United States followed closely behind at 7.18 million metric tons. Remember, these are estimates. The real figure may be much higher since dumping goes unreported.
4. Habitat Destruction
Building tech infrastructure like server farms often requires significant land use changes, which can lead to deforestation and the disruption of wildlife habitats. When these large data centers are constructed, vast land areas are cleared, sometimes destroying forests to extract the materials needed for technology.
This deforestation removes trees and displaces wildlife, affecting entire ecosystems. By being aware of these impacts, you can understand the environmental cost of expanding tech infrastructure and the importance of seeking more sustainable practices in the tech industry.
5. Climate Change
Tech-related activities contribute significantly to global warming through greenhouse gas emissions, with technologies like data centers, AI processing and cryptocurrency mining being major culprits. These activities increase the carbon footprint, exacerbating global climate issues.
Fortunately, carbon capture and storage technologies offer a promising solution, capable of capturing hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 each year. The impacts of technology on the environment don’t have to be all bad.
This technology can mitigate some of the damage. However, the long-term effects of excessive greenhouse gas emissions include rising global temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns. Understanding these impacts shows the importance of adopting and supporting cleaner technologies to protect the planet.
6. Chemical Exposure
Tech manufacturing often involves toxic chemicals like lead and mercury, posing significant health risks to workers and nearby communities. These substances can lead to severe health issues, including respiratory problems and neurological damage.
Managing and mitigating chemical waste is a complex challenge, as improper disposal can contaminate soil and water sources, further endangering public health and the environment. By being aware of these risks, you can understand the importance of advocating for safer manufacturing practices and stringent waste management protocols in the tech industry.
7. Energy Consumption
Data centers and servers require enormous amounts of energy, with projections indicating that by 2036, their energy consumption in the U.S. could reach 260 TWh, which would be six percent of the country’s total power use. This high electricity demand, often from fossil fuels, significantly contributes to carbon emissions.
Technologies like cryptocurrency mining, artificial intelligence processing and cloud storage are particularly energy-intensive, demanding continuous power to operate efficiently. Understanding the scale of energy consumption and its environmental impact helps you appreciate the urgent need for more sustainable energy solutions in the tech industry.
8. Water Usage
Tech manufacturing and cooling systems consume large amounts of water, significantly impacting local water resources and availability. For instance, producing semiconductors and cooling data centers require substantial water usage, which can strain local supplies. Industries like electronics manufacturing and cloud computing have particularly high water footprints.
This intense demand can lead to water scarcity, affecting communities and ecosystems. Understanding the water consumption of these industries lets you appreciate the importance of developing water-efficient technologies and practices to ensure sustainable water management.
9. Economic Losses
A lack of right-to-repair laws forces consumers to replace their tech when it gets too old — even if it would run like new after receiving some much-needed upgrades. In doing so, countries miss out on a massive amount of wealth. Every laptop, phone and smart device contains valuable metals like silver, copper, gold and platinum.
Research from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) shows just how much money the world throws away. In 2022, countries collectively discarded approximately 31 million tonnes of valuable metals contained in e-waste worth around $91 billion, including $19 billion in copper, $16 billion in iron and $15 billion in gold.
A comprehensive recycling program could make countries money. According to UNITAR’s research, indirect cost savings from the inevitable health and environmental benefits could drive economic prosperity. Achieving a 60% global recycling rate by 2030 would lead to $38 billion in revenue — even after factoring in the associated costs.
How does the impacts of technology on the environment relate to the economy? The relationship between economic development and a healthy environment is complementary. Countries with greater budget flexibility can afford the financial risk of investing in unproven green solutions.
10. Air Pollution
Where do you think electronics end up when you throw them away? More often than not, they get dumped in landfills. Sometimes, countries even count e-waste as “recycled” when, in reality, they simply exported tens of thousands of shipping containers full of it. Here, you can see the negative impact of technology on the environment.
These dumpsites often attract scavengers desperate to collect valuable components from discarded technologies. Since technology affects the environment, you can understand how this practice would be dangerous.
Piles of e-waste don’t just leech heavy metals into the ground — they also pollute the air. Lithium-ion batteries quickly catch fire when damaged, creating potent, toxic smoke. Putting out fires in landfills is not always a priority, leading to air pollution. This issue disproportionately affects ecosystems and communities in developing countries.
11. Noise Pollution
In Aldie, Virginia, Amazon built data centers on what used to be farmland. The spot Amazon chose was practically in people’s backyards. The buildings were as close as 50 feet to residential homes. What used to be a quiet patch of land full of vegetation became a dense cluster of plain, windowless buildings.
For most residents in Aldie, the worst part wasn’t the view — it was the noise. Inside the data center, the noise from servers and cooling systems can reach 96 decibels (dB), which is loud enough to cause temporary hearing loss. For reference, that is about as loud as a power lawn mower, a garbage truck or a jackhammer.
Data center noise pollution is a relatively new phenomenon, but people are already over it. In Virginia — the so-called data center capital of the world — there have been multiple instances of residents banding together to update legislation. Can you blame them? Even outside, noise levels range from 40 dB to 80 dB. That constant, loud hum isn’t pleasant to live near.
The impacts of technology on the environment are evident. Research shows human-made sounds disrupt wildlife ecology. Noise helps animals avoid predators, locate food and find mates. Data centers mask those sounds, adversely affecting feeding, breeding and navigation. Lasting ecosystem damage — altered behaviors and hindered population growth — is possible.
A Way Forward
Thankfully, it’s not all bad news with technology and the environment. While there are definite negative impacts of tech on the environment, technology might also provide a way forward. One of the most promising examples of this is in renewable energy.
Thanks to advances in technology, renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels in several areas now. Over time, this tech will improve, making it even more affordable. With this monetary advantage, renewables could finally overtake fossil fuels, making energy consumption less of an environmental issue.
The levelized cost of electricity is the average cost of generating one unit of electricity. It takes costs incurred during construction, operation and maintenance into account. Here is the average levelized cost of various energy sources in 2022:
Type of Energy | Levelized Cost of Electricity |
---|---|
Onshore Wind | $24 to $75 per MWh |
Solar Photovoltaic | $24 to $96 per MWh |
Gas Combined Cycle | $39 to $101 per MWh |
Geothermal | $61 to $102 per MWh |
Coal | $68 to $166 per per MWh |
Gas Peaking | $115 to $221 per MWh |
Nuclear | $141 to $221 per MWh |
Many new technologies focus on offering more energy-efficient processes than their older counterparts. As the general public grows more concerned about the environment, more tech companies will pursue greener initiatives like this.
Balancing Technology and Sustainability
Understanding the negative impact of technology on the environment is the first step in going green. Technology can be a helpful asset in sustainability, but only if we use it right. Knowing the environmental risks tech presents can help push towards a greener future.
Technology and the environment are more connected than you may realize. If you understand these connections, though, you can do your part in pursuing sustainability.
Original Publish Date 7/8/2020 — Updated 12/19/2024
Our conversation on tech and sustainability continues in How Does the Internet of Things Affect the Environment?
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