Environmental Issues

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E-Waste

E-waste refers to discarded electronic devices.

Technology is hard to repair

Manufacturers often make technology which is difficult to repair, and so it is sometimes cheaper to replace a product than repair it. This contributes to e-waste.

Newer models

Many consumers will replace a working device with a newer model each year.
This is unnecessary e-waste.

Disposal of e-waste

E-waste can include toxic chemicals.
There are strict rules about the disposal of e-waste imposed by the Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
To bypass these rules, many organisations send e-waste to countries with fewer regulations - such as China and India.

Energy Consumption

It's no surprise that technology uses a lot of energy. But it might be more than most people think.

Data centres

Data centres are some of the worst offenders for energy consumption.
Not only do the servers need to be powered, but they also need a lot of energy for their cooling systems.

How much energy?

In 2011, the US department for energy calculated that data centres in the US alone need 70 billion kWh of electricity each year.
- To put that in perspective, that's 2% of America's total power consumption.
- It's also the same as leaving over 80 million lightbulbs turned on.

Reducing energy consumption

Energy consumption in data centres can be reduced by using hot and cold aisles. This is making sure that one server's air outtake (hot) does not blow into another server's air intake (cold).
We can also reduce consumption by using server virtualisation, where multiple virtual servers can run on one piece of hardware. This reduces redundant servers.

Positive Environmental Impact

It's not all bad! There have been some positive impacts.

Climate change

Computer systems have allowed scientists to monitor and predict the effects of climate change.

Efficiency

Computer models and simulations have been used to test and improve the efficiency of:
- Engines.
- Wind turbines.

Online communication

Online communication reduces the need for travel for meetings, which reduces the impact of pollution from cars and aeroplanes.

1Components of a Computer

1.1Structure & Function of the Processor

1.1.1Structure of the CPU

1.1.2Fetch, Decode, Execute Cycle

1.1.3Factors Affecting CPU Performance

1.1.4CPU Architecture

1.2Types of Processors

1.2.1CISC & RISC

1.2.2Multicore & Parallel Cores

1.3Input, Output & Storage

1.3.1Computer Systems

1.3.2Magnetic Storage

1.3.3Optical Storage

1.3.4Types of Optical Storage

1.3.5Types of Memory

1.3.6Flash Memory

1.3.7Virtual Memory

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

4.1Data Types

4.1.1Data Types

4.1.2Arrays & Strings

4.1.3Representing Numbers

4.1.4Binary Arithmetic

4.1.5Hexadecimal

4.1.6Converting Binary Numbers

4.1.7Floating Points in Binary

4.1.8Floating Point Arithmetic

4.1.9Bitwise Manipulation

4.1.10Character Sets

4.2Data Structures

4.2.1Arrays, Linked Lists & Queues

4.2.2Graphs, Hash Tables & Stacks

4.2.3Trees

4.3Boolean Algebra

4.3.1Computational Logic

4.3.2Boolean Logic

4.3.3Karnaugh Maps

4.3.4Boolean Identities

4.3.5Flip Flops & Adder Circuits

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

5.1Computing Related Legislation

5.1.1Data Protection Act (1998)

5.1.2Computer Misuse Act (1990)

5.1.3Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988)

5.1.4Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (2000)

5.2Moral & Ethical Issues

5.2.1Online Activity Tracking

5.2.2Censorship

5.2.3Cultural Issues

5.2.4Environmental Issues

5.2.5Layout, Colour Paradigms & Character Sets

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.1.1Abstraction

6.2Thinking Procedurally

6.2.1Decomposition

6.3Thinking Logically

6.3.1Pseudocode & Flow Diagrams

7Problem Solving & Programming

7.1Programming Techniques

7.1.1Programming Fundamentals

7.1.2Modularity

7.2Programming Construction

7.2.1Integrated Development Environments

7.2.2Testing

8Algorithms

8.1Algorithms

8.1.1Interpreting, Correcting & Completing Algorithm

8.1.2Sort Algorithms

8.1.3Insertion & Merge Sort

8.1.4Search Algorithms

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