1. The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Simon Ford 14th July 2003

2. The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 2 An explanation of the objectives of the dissertation. An overview of the computer industry. Findings from an online questionnaire. Opportunities for improved consumption practices in the future. This Presentation Will Include:

3. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 3 Sustainable Consumption: the Goal The use of goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life, while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle, so as not to jeopardise the needs of future generations Oslo 1994

4. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 4 Objectives of this Dissertation To discover what opportunities exist that might cause the computing sector to become less unsustainable. To determine what benefits the computer can provide to society, the environment and the economy. To discover what lessons might be learnt that apply to other industries.

5. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 5 Consumer Questionnaire An online questionnaire has been run on my webpages for the past 6 weeks. Reference will be made to the findings from this survey of almost 400 computer users.

6. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 6 Innovation in the Personal Computing Industry The two key developments were the modularisation and commoditisation of the IBM architecture. Separate modules include the motherboard, CPU, memory, hard drive, data storage devices, multimedia cards, and the operating system.

7. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 7 The Processor at the Heart of the Modern PC

8. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 8 The Nature of the Industry High levels of competition lead to rapid innovation. Manufacturers, particularly semiconductor producers, have caused significant environmental degradation. Innovation in a rapid market leads to technical obsolescence.

9. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 9 Perceived Environmental Friendliness of the Computer Industry

10. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 10 Perceived Environmental Friendliness of Computer Use

11. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 11 A Lack of Environmental Purchasing Behaviour Only 4.3% of people said that they had made environmentally conscious decisions when purchasing their PC. Why not a greater percentage? Is it a lack of labelling?

12. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 12 Energy Star - 57% recognition

13. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 13 Comparison to Food Labelling 1999 Glasgow food survey - an area with high incidence of heart disease.

14. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 14 Daily Computer Usage Average of 6.5 hours dormancy

15. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 15 Computer Usage 34% of computer users didnt have their power management settings activated. These can reduce power consumption from 200W to under 100W. These people would save an average of 240kWh/capita/year if activated, a £20 saving. Hence a need for PCs to be set up with settings activated prior to retail.

16. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 16 Are You Doing Your Bit? 1999 Educational Campaign Outcomes demonstrated that behavioural changes were possible, but limited. Provision of information leads to questioning of lifestyle choices. Socially contentious and highly-debated issues lead to no change in behaviour. Non-controversial and non-debated actions entered into peoples habits and routines.

17. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 17 Perception of PCs Aiding Work Effectiveness

18. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 18 A Teleworking Future?

19. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 19 Teleworking Willingness: 45 billion car miles could be saved!

20. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 20 End of Life: PC Disposal

21. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 21 Technical Obsolescence Manufacturers stimulate consumer demand for their new innovations through marketing mechanisms. This leads to technical obsolescence

22. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 22 PC Applications

23. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 23 Most Important PC Applications

24. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 24 The Dinosaurs Control the Market The entire industry is trapped by its own success, trapped into a cycle of ever-increasing complexity from which it cannot escape D.A.Norman The Invisible Computer

25. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 25 The Missing 55% The computing industry is failing to deliver products that can reach out to the late adopters. If computers are going to aid the push towards a more sustainable society then the development of human-centred systems is necessary.

26. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 26 An Entrepreneurial Opportunity? New business models are required to reach out to the non-computer user. A lower specification computer dedicated to word processing, email and internet access. Thin client technology. Application Service Provision (ASP). Economic reasons for adopting new technologies that approach improved sustainability accidentally.

27. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 27 Some Market Recognition Five years from now, if youre a CEO with a head for business, you wont be buying computers any more. You wont be buying software either. Youll rent all your resources from a service provider Scott McNealy, CEO Sun Microsystems, December 1999

28. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 28 Summary Consumer understanding of the unsustainability of the computer industry isnt being translated into eco-decisions. PCs need to have their power management features activated when sold. Teleworking is currently seen in a positive light by many computer users. Technology is not meeting the needs of a significant proportion of the population.

29. 14th July 2003The Relationship Between Manufacturers and Consumers in Achieving Sustainable Consumption Page 29 Future Work Questionnaire for IT professionals currently online. Questionnaire for IT professionals currently online. Further investigation into how technical obsolescence might be reduced, and preferentially, avoided. Analysis of how manufacturers market their technologies to consumers. Future legislation that will affect system and component disposal.