Exploring the Environmental Impacts of the Emerging Digital Economy: From Industrial Ecology to Information Ecology (TSE99-H, TSE99-G, TSE99-E)

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9985653 Sui The goal of this project is to develop a new conceptual and analytical framework to systematically examine the environmental impacts of the emerging digital economy. Key questions to be addressed are: What are the environmental consequences, measured in terms of energy/material consumption and waste production, of using the Internet (1) to deliver information-based products and services? and (2) to facilitate the retailing of tangible goods and products? By extending previous work in industrial ecology, this project will develop an informational ecology approach as the guiding analytic framework to incorporate both production and consumption elements in the new economy. The approach aims to establish links between industrial metabolism and information processing. Detailed life cycle analyses of electronic commerce will be conducted at the company level for selected Internet-based businesses. This research will advance our knowledge of the environmental consequences and trade-offs of the digital economy. It will provide insights into how the Internet and telecommunications technologies can be used to conduct business to minimize material and energy consumption with the goal of avoiding environmental harm. This grant is made pursuant to the NSF/EPA Partnership solicitation Technologies for a Sustainable Environment.***