2007-02-28 05:02:26 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Since the internet is a tremendous and unlimited source of information I tend to believe that it will rather have a positive effect toward our environment than a negative. Even though it does cost resources to keep the web going with all those millions of computers and their energy consumption, the educational value the internet provides us with will help control or even eliminate far greater environmental dangers such as global warming and all its causes just by educating people about this issue. Think about it.
2007-03-02 17:14:37 · answer #1 · answered by McMurdo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I assume you mean "environmental impact", as environmental impact and global warming are two entirely different topics.
The world wide web still requires infrastructure, with electricity being the key requirement. Major commercial web-sites, for example, require:
- a facility to house the servers
- electricity to power the facility
- electricity to power and cool the servers
And there are many, many additional items too numerous to list, which all have their own share of environmental impact.
So, in short, total WWW energy consumption would have the greatest impact on the environment.
2007-02-28 05:14:36 · answer #2 · answered by wheresdean 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Everyone here has covered the CONS.
The PRO of the internet is a reduction in paper use. Paper factories are some of the largest consumers of water and create massive amounts of pollutants.
You'd have to crunch the numbers between the cons of electricty generation and pros of reduced paper production to get a true feel.
2007-02-28 06:03:59 · answer #3 · answered by justin_at_shr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since Al Gore invented both the Internet and global warming I feel we are all doomed. Did anyone hear Al's excuse for his using 20 times the energy that the average home uses? " He's buying energy credits". Boy; I'm buying vegetables. Does that count?
2007-02-28 05:14:35 · answer #4 · answered by H.C.Will 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sites like YA have a detrimental impact - loads of people spending loads of time aksing and answering futile questions, most of which you can answer by looking in a good book or two.
2007-02-28 08:19:23 · answer #5 · answered by a Real Truthseeker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the amount of heat we all generate from our PC's and servers to use the internet. the material manufactured at plants to keep the internet running.
2007-02-28 05:06:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the amount of electricity needed to maintain the internet has to be generated somewhere... right now it's mostly from coal/nuclear/hydroelectric plants. Big pollution!
2007-02-28 05:10:55 · answer #7 · answered by Leigh K 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Do you think?
2007-02-28 05:06:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋