According to industry estimates, the IT sector is responsible for up to 2% of greenhouse gases worldwide, which is equal to that emitted by the entire global aviation industry. Over 160 million new laptops are produced every year, and 160,000 are disposed of every day in the EU alone. 70% of those laptops could be reused.
As environmental awareness grows, the adoption of sustainable practices in the education sector continues to gain traction. Barriers cited in recent years, such as budget constraints, are being quashed by the increasingly loud voices of lobby groups, which is prompting government bodies, and even students, to force institutions to take responsibility. However, this is causing the IT supply chain to revise its business strategies, particularly for this budget-conscious vertical.
Reducing e-waste forms the core of education for sustainability, and maximising the lifespan of computing devices through the adoption of eco-design protocols is integral to achieving this goal. In the mid-term, Futuresource expects continued refinement of Department of Education climate change strategies across Northern America and Europe. These will cover a wide range of areas, from climate education to EdTech procurement and supply chains.
In addition, as the field of material science advances, sustainable technologies will achieve cost parity with non-sustainable products. As a result, price will no longer be an obstacle when choosing devices, as sustainable educational tools will be more budget-friendly by design.