This semester (feb.-june’24) Bjorn Groot and Niels de Vries, HBO-ICT students from Windesheim HBO-ICT researched CO2-emissions for Windesheim IVT (ICT) department. They delivered the research, a strategic advice with milestones and an implementation plan for the next five years. In the research students used Responsible Computing as a framework.
The strategic plan was divided into four quadrants: Energy reduction, Building knowledge, Data reduction and Circularity. Projects to reduce the current CO2-emissions (approx. 3.100 ton kg) to 50% before 2030 are planned for short term, this year, next two years and some are for a longer period. Project ideas included sustainable purchasing policies, extend the lifetime use of hardware, active re-use and extensive hardware end-of-life policies. It is not only about CO2, but also scarce resources and water-usage en nature demolishment to get those materials.
I was shocked by how much hardware counted into this calculation, more then 90%?! Most is accounted for during the creation of the hardware and its material resources. Just partly it is the emissions of transportation and the use of power. We like to thank Martin Skou for letting the students use the Rejoose e-tool. Without this it would be impossible to know these emission rates and do some scenario counting.
For questions, you can contact me, Lisette van Dijken productowner for IVT and/or Machteld Houben sustainability advisor at University of Applied Science Windesheim.
The project stimulated me to initiate an art-project, combined with an exhibition and research on e-waste which all will start in september 2024.