title: Environmental effects of information and communications technologies.
abstract: The digital revolution affects the environment on several levels. Most directly, information and communications technology (ICT) has environmental impacts through the manufacturing, operation and disposal of devices and network equipment, but it also provides ways to mitigate energy use, for example through smart buildings and teleworking. At a broader system level, ICTs influence economic growth and bring about technological and societal change. Managing the direct impacts of ICTs is more complex than just producing efficient devices, owing to the energetically expensive manufacturing process, and the increasing proliferation of devices needs to be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Golisano Institute of Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York 14623, USA. exwgis@rit.edu
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000639:trends; D004526:Efficiency; D004777:Environment; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D059027:Recycling; D013672:Technology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances
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