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| liit:it [2025/12/05 17:25] – created Simon Grant | liit:it [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| # Low-impact IT | This topic is part of [[gt:digital|Digital & media]]. |
| | ====== Low-impact IT ====== |
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| ## What is low-impact IT? | ===== What is low-impact IT? ===== |
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| A [lot of energy](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652611000801) goes into making our computers, so we think it's a good idea to make them last as long as possible. Big software companies are always bringing out new software that almost always requires more processing power than its predecessors, and therefore requires more powerful hardware, so tends not to work too well on older computers. This results in criminally short lives for most computers. They can be recycled / made to last longer by a combination of a) a bit of tinkering, and b) using [free / open source](/foss/open_source) software and operating systems, which tend to require less processing power. | A [lot of energy](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652611000801) goes into making our computers, so we think it's a good idea to make them last as long as possible. Big software companies are always bringing out new software that almost always requires more processing power than its predecessors, and therefore requires more powerful hardware, so tends not to work too well on older computers. This results in criminally short lives for most computers. They can be recycled / made to last longer by a combination of a) a bit of tinkering, and b) using [free / open source](/foss/open_source) software and operating systems, which tend to require less processing power. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| The Apple II computer. | _The Apple II computer._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Motherboard with connector slots. | _Motherboard with connector slots._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| ## What are the benefits of low-impact IT? | ===== What are the benefits of low-impact IT? ===== |
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| With well over 2 billion PCs in the world, and rising rapidly, their short lives point to a massive environmental disaster. | With well over 2 billion PCs in the world, and rising rapidly, their short lives point to a massive environmental disaster. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Ribbon cable with connector points. | _Ribbon cable with connector points._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
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| Most importantly, don't chuck your old computer away. You can have a go at revamping it yourself, with the aforementioned tinkering/open source, or you can give it to specialist companies who recycle them, often for the developing world (see our links page). | Most importantly, don't chuck your old computer away. You can have a go at revamping it yourself, with the aforementioned tinkering/open source, or you can give it to specialist companies who recycle them, often for the developing world (see our links page). |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Much of the world’s computer waste is [sent to countries like Ghana](https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/High-tech-toxic-waste-killing-the-poor-in-Ghana-425347), where tens of thousands of people trawl through dumps to extract components, exposed to toxic chemicals and the smoke from plastics being burnt to recover metals. | _Much of the world’s computer waste is [sent to countries like Ghana](https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/High-tech-toxic-waste-killing-the-poor-in-Ghana-425347), where tens of thousands of people trawl through dumps to extract components, exposed to toxic chemicals and the smoke from plastics being burnt to recover metals._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. | _Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Raspberry Pi mini-computer. | _Raspberry Pi mini-computer._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| The development of smaller and less power-hungry processors has meant that microcomputers now present a useful alternative to traditional computers. These are [small (credit-card-sized) computers](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/30-credit-card-sized-non-corporate-low-energy-computers-set-up-to-run-on-linux-any-boxes-not-ticked-there/) that run a Linux operating system, running versions of most open source software. [Raspberry Pi](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/how-i-built-a-raspberry-pi-arcade-machine-with-my-kids/) is the best known of these, built by the [Raspberry Pi Foundation](https://www.raspberrypi.org/) charity. | The development of smaller and less power-hungry processors has meant that microcomputers now present a useful alternative to traditional computers. These are [small (credit-card-sized) computers](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/30-credit-card-sized-non-corporate-low-energy-computers-set-up-to-run-on-linux-any-boxes-not-ticked-there/) that run a Linux operating system, running versions of most open source software. [Raspberry Pi](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/how-i-built-a-raspberry-pi-arcade-machine-with-my-kids/) is the best known of these, built by the [Raspberry Pi Foundation](https://www.raspberrypi.org/) charity. |
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| ## Further resources | ===== Forum ===== |
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| | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:digital|Digital & media]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/digital). |
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| ## Specialists | ===== Further resources ===== |
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| | - [Computer Aid](https://www.computeraid.org/) non-profit organisation refurbishing computers for use in poor countries |
| | - [Pure Planet Recycling](https://www.pureplanetrecycling.co.uk/) |
| | - [Centrex](https://centrexservices.co.uk/logistics-services/it-disposal-services/) IT zero-landfill / refurbishment services |
| | - [Restart](https://therestartproject.org/where-to-donate-your-computer/) - UK list of places to donate your old computer |
| | - [Center for Sustainable Systems](https://css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/built-environment/information-technology-factsheet) - green IT factsheet |
| | - [Electronic Frontier Foundation](https://www.eff.org/) - US group working to protect individuals' digital rights, often involving court cases against government or corporations |
| | - [Open Rights Group](https://www.openrightsgroup.org/) - UK-based digital rights organisation that campaigns to protect our rights to privacy and free speech online |
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| | ===== Related topics ===== |
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| | - [Blockchain](bloc:blockchain) |
| | - [Free & open source software](foss:open_source) |
| | - [Platform co-ops](pltc:platform_co-ops) |
| | - [Recycling, reusing & repairing](recl:recycling) |
| | - [Wikis](wiks:wikis) |
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| | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
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