Clustering Obsolete Computers to Reduce E-Waste

Personal computers contribute significantly to the growing problem of electronic waste. Every computer, when finished with, must be stored, dumped, recycled, or somehow re-used. Most are dumped, at a huge cost to health and the environment, as their owners succumb to the desire to keep up with the ever-increasing power of new computers. Supercomputers and computer clusters provide more power than ordinary desktop and laptop computers, but they too are subject to rapid obsolescence. The authors have built a cluster of obsolete computers and have found that it easily outperforms a fairly standard new desktop computer. They explore how this approach can help to mitigate e-waste, and discuss the advantages and limitations of using such a system. DOI: 10.4018/jissc.2010092901 IGI PUBLISHING This paper appears in the publication, International Journal of Information Systems and Social Change, Volume 1, Issue 1 edited by John Wang © 2010, IGI Global 701 E. Choc late Avenue, Her hey PA 17033-1240, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.igi-global.com ITJ 5577 2 International Journal of Information Systems and Social Change, 1(1), 1-10, January-March 2010 Copyright © 2010, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. After discussing the problem of e-waste and the purpose of computing clusters, we explain the reasons for building a cluster from obsolete rather than new computers. We then report on the cluster we have built, on its performance, and on its advantages and limitations. The novelty of this research is that it is proposing a new method of e-waste management. We are proposing to re-use old desktop machines for the purpose of mitigating the creation of new clusters. We are proposing that this be an ongoing process, with newer waste computers continually replacing older redundant machines.