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Contribution Details

Type Book Chapter
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Dematerialization through electronic media?
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Vlad C Coroama
  • Åsa Moberg
  • Lorenz Hilty
Editors
  • Lorenz Hilty
  • Bernard Aebischer
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Booktitle ICT Innovations for Sustainability
Series Name Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing
ISBN 978-3-319-09227-0 (P) 978-3-319-09228-7 (E)
ISSN 2194-5357
Number 310
Place of Publication Cham
Publisher Springer
Page Range 405 - 421
Date 2015
Abstract Text While the traditional roles of the computer as a machine for scientific calculations, text editing, and graphic design are still significant, computers are increasingly perceived as means of accessing information and interacting with other people – i.e., as electronic media. The aim of this chapter is to analyze digital electronic media and their effects on environmental sustainability. Two fields of application are addressed: electronic media that may replace or augment traditional print media such as newspapers or magazines, and videoconferencing as a potential substitute for traveling to a face-to-face meeting or conference. In both cases, the environmental costs of the electronic media are compared to those of their conventional counterparts. The examples show that electronic media can represent an energy-efficient alternative to traditional activities such as long-distance travel. But they can also be added on top of existing activities instead of replacing them. In such cases, a net increase in the environmental impact results. The availability of small, energy-efficient devices being used as electronic media does not guarantee dematerialization. The overall resource use and emissions throughout the life cycle of the media product systems and, more importantly, at the macro level of total global production and consumption need to be considered. To achieve the dematerialization potential of new electronic media solutions, their efficiency needs to be combined with sufficiency; thus additional measures are necessary to turn the dematerialization potential of electronic media into environmental relief.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1007/978-3-319-09228-7_24
Other Identification Number merlin-id:10289
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Additional Information The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09228-7_24