A new United Nations University study has found that about 1.8 tons of raw materials are required to produce an average PC with monitor, comparable in weight to the materials used in a mid-sized car. From this they draw the logical conclusion that product life should be extended as long as possible, making incremental upgrades more environmentally friendly than the ‘toss it to the curb’ mentality adopted by many shoppers.
This principle applies to more than just PCs, though, and is equally applicable to cars, homes, or any other consumer product. The ‘raw material weight to final product weight’ ratio is more pronounced in electronics where the goal is often to make the end result as small and as integrated as possible.
The lesson from all this? Sometimes spending a little more on something that will last is worth the extra money.
