The impact that technology is having on the environment is a major concern of today. Experts are evaluating how our technological growth is affecting the environment because some new technology goods can be burdensome to the environment.
Big changes are happening in the world of technology as people are switching from one option to another. A prominent example of this transition is the switch from copper cable infrastructure to the faster, more secure fiber cables. It is essential to know how will this conversion impact the environment. We asked our fiber optic network installation experts about their views on the subject. Here is what they said:
Over the last few years, fiber and FTTH have become a popular choice for businesses and home users alike, because it offers the fastest speeds on the market, as well as more reliability and better security. Fortunately, fiber is also the greener Internet solution when compared to other solutions like copper. Fiber has a minimal ecological impact. It consumes less energy and will play a big part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand for Copper
It has long been established that copper mining harms the environment because extracting copper is dangerous; it produces hazardous chemicals. Copper mining has acute and chronic adverse effects on water, vegetation, and biological life.
Copper mining produces Sulfur Dioxide, which can result in acid rains that can destroy crops, forests, and damage infrastructure. Mining can also lead to deforestation and the destruction of wildlife habitat.
In contrast, fiber production does not have a significant ecological impact because the core fiber in optical fiber is made of glass, which is created out of Silicon Dioxide (SiO2). Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on earth and occurs naturally occurs sand, clay, rocks, and water.
A Lasting Solution
Fiber is more resistant to the wear and tear caused by natural elements such as electrical storms.
Fiber optic cables are more durable and do not need repairs as often as most other alternatives.
Fiber is future-proof, which means updates are less frequent. Our experts believe that due to fiber’s remarkable bandwidth scalability, it will be able to cater to growing needs for at least the next twenty-five years or so.
Fewer repairs also mean fewer resources are spent trying to fix the cable, which reduced the environmental impact of repair and saves money.
Energy Consumption
Fiber’s energy usage is significantly lower than copper because in fiber, data transmitted in the form of light. Fiber’s light technology can use a single watt to send data over 300 meters, which is 12 times less than copper because coaxial cables consume up to 3.5 watts to transmit data over 100 meters.
Fiber networks are also cooler because energy consumption creates heat. Because fiber networks produce little to no heat there is also no need to cool them down with air-conditioning, which also consume a lot of energy.
Greenhouse Gasses
As we just established fiber technology uses less energy and electricity. As a result, reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
CO2 is one of the causes of the Greenhouse Effect, which has resulted in global warming. Energy efficient solutions are the need of the time. Fiber optic Internet is one such solution that can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emissions.
