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Digital impacts Depth 3: environmental choices and product lifecycles

The environmental impact of digital technology does not begin when a device is switched on or end when it stops working. A product lifecycle includes raw-material extraction, manufacture, transport, use and end-of-life treatment.

This worksheet develops the environmental content in OCR J277 through product and service decisions. You will explain mechanisms, compare short-term and long-term effects and evaluate realistic ways to reduce harm.

Use the scenario tasks to develop more than one stakeholder perspective, then complete the final challenge independently.

Environmental impacts across a lifecycle

Raw materials: Metals and other materials must be extracted and processed. This uses energy and can damage habitats or create pollution.
Manufacture and transport: Factories and distribution consume energy and produce emissions and waste.
Use: Devices, networks and data centres consume electricity. The impact depends partly on efficiency, demand and how the electricity is generated.
End of life: Discarded electronics become e-waste. Devices may contain recoverable materials and substances that require safe handling.

Longer life, repair, reuse, refurbishment and responsible recycling can reduce demand for new devices or landfill. Each option still uses some energy and resources, so avoid claiming that any action has zero impact.

Fill in the blanks5 marks

Discarded electronic devices are label 1. Designing a product so components can be replaced improves label 2. Giving a working device to another user is label 3. Recovering materials from a device is label 4. Replacing products sooner than necessary can increase demand for raw-material extraction and label 5.

manufacture
privacy
e-waste
repairability
recycling
reuse
bandwidth

Multiple choice, several answers4 marks

Which four environmental cause-and-effect links are accurate? Select all that apply.

ALonger device life can reduce how often replacement devices need to be manufactured
BMoving data to the cloud means no physical equipment uses electricity
CRepairable components can allow one failed part to be replaced instead of discarding the whole device
DRecycling guarantees that every material is recovered without using energy
EFrequent upgrades can increase e-waste and demand for raw materials
FMore efficient data-centre equipment can reduce electricity needed for a given workload

Scenario: the Nova phone

Nova can sell a new phone at a lower price by sealing the battery inside the case and using a charging socket expected to wear out after several years. Repairs require specialist equipment. Nova expects more customers to replace the complete phone when one component fails.

The lower price could make the phone affordable to more people. More frequent replacement could also increase Nova's sales.

Written answer8 marks

Explain two environmental impacts and two ethical impacts of Nova's design decision.

For environmental points, trace the consequence into manufacture, resources or disposal. For ethical points, consider affordability, information, repair cost, trust and company interests.

Students type their answer here.

Digital services have physical infrastructure

Streaming, cloud storage and online computation use servers, networking equipment, storage devices and cooling systems in data centres. A useful answer connects demand to infrastructure:

Storing unnecessary duplicate data may require additional storage equipment and electricity over time, increasing the service's resource and energy use.

Avoid writing that one email or one search has a fixed environmental cost unless the question provides evidence. At GCSE, focus on defensible mechanisms and relative changes in scale, efficiency or demand.

Written answer6 marks

A school can replace 500 working laptops now with slightly more energy-efficient models, or keep the existing laptops for three more years. Explain the environmental benefits and drawbacks of both choices. Identify the information needed before deciding.

Compare energy during use with the impacts of manufacturing and disposing of replacements. Useful information could include energy savings, condition, repair needs, electricity source, reuse and recycling arrangements.

Students type their answer here.

Multiple choice1 mark

Which conclusion is best supported?

AThe newest device is always the most environmentally responsible
BKeeping an old device is always best, even if it cannot perform the required task
CEnvironmental impacts end when a device is recycled
DThe decision depends on remaining useful life, repairability, energy use, replacement impact and what happens to the old device

Written answer4 marks

A cloud provider plans a data centre that uses more efficient servers but expects total customer demand to double. Explain why efficiency alone may not guarantee a reduction in total environmental impact.

Compare impact per unit of work with the total amount of work. Include electricity or equipment demand.

Students type their answer here.

Written answer8 marks

Challenge: Discuss whether Nova should use the cheaper, less repairable design. Include ethical and environmental issues and reach a justified recommendation.

Use benefits and drawbacks for the company and customers, short-term and long-term effects, and practical alternatives such as replaceable components, repair support or clear information.

Students type their answer here.

Depth review

For every environmental answer, check that you have explained how the effect happens:

What extra material, energy, manufacture, transport or disposal results?
Is the effect per device, or across many devices?
Does a proposed improvement move the impact to another lifecycle stage?
Could repair, reuse or recycling extend value before new manufacture?
What evidence would be needed for a confident recommendation?

“It harms the environment” is an assertion. “Shorter battery life causes earlier replacement, increasing e-waste and demand for newly manufactured devices” is a developed explanation.