Community Impact
YourCommunities can be created within any space where people come together – leading to all kinds of closely or loosely connected group identities. These communities can emerge – knowingly or not – when we make decisions that impact other people.
When we build technology and create digital spaces, it can be easy to forget the affect we have our our physical world, from local environmentcommunities atto yourthe homegarage iswe justrun asthe server out of. We leave our mark on the spaces left in our care and the reverberating effects of our personal decisions can felt by others.
Technology has been designed from the ground up to be abstracted, but we must not allow ourselves to lose sight on the fine details lost by the oversimplification of important geographiccomplexity. Before we "break ground", we must take the time to seriously reflect on how our choices can affect those around us – both physically and digitally.
Ecosystems
Hardware can create digital spaces where we can operate without the limitations of reality. Despite this, hardware resides within the physical world and global environment. How does our relationship with technology become abstracted soecosystems that we loserely sighton. of the fine details?
How do theThe choices we make comefor togethersomething toas havemenial largeras ramifications?self-hosting can affect us, our neighbors and every denizen of the newfound digital world.
Pollutioncloud
computing Differentinfrastructure peoplehas arestaggering sensitiveeffect toon theseour sensesglobal differently.ecosystems. LightBy mayself-hosting, makewe itcan difficulttake responsibility for some people to sleep, while the whitingstewardship mayof makeour it difficult to concentrate.
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-staggering-ecological-impacts-of-computation-and-the-cloud/environment.
Noise
Computers maycan be loud machines – especially when using older and unmaintained parts. There are several key components that can create noise pollution, a considerable distraction.
Hard Drives
Speakers
Many computer systems have a built built-in mono or even dual channel speaker forto playingnotify basicabout soundshardware-level forcomponent, eventssuch andas notificationschirping during thesePOST arewhile used forstarting the post
Noise pollution can make it hard to focusmachine.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021005304
Fans
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003682X06000065Computers can generate a great deal of heat that needs to be accommodated. Cooling components and reducing the ambient temperature within your computer case will require fans. Even when leveraging efficient water-cooling, fans are employed to keep the fluid cooled.
HardAs drives,fans powerbecome suppliesdirty and fans
- the
Whirring,lubricant,clicking,itgrindingisandnot uncommon for them to create whirring or buzzingchimes screechingDirt and age only make these sounds more prevalent especially on a serve that operates 24/7.sounds.It'sThesebest to address these as soon as possibleSomenoises are signs of an underlyingissue,issue that needs to be proactively addressed through cleaning. When these issues are not addressed, fans can even begin to cause a grinding sound. Dirty fans not only create noise butsometimesmalethisitisdifficultjusttothe operational state
The noise and light pollution created bykeep your server cool.
Be mindful of where you're keeping an always-on server because it can affect not only your immediatehome neighborsbut ifneighbors, you are in an a apartment style building.too.
Light
ComputersComputer emitsystems light,can usuallyhave frommany ledsensor indicatorlights lights.and indicators that are always on – sometimes even blinking incessantly. People may be sensitive to light or distracted by their constant activity when trying to sleep or maintain focus.
These lights are often partembedded ofinto the computer case foror monitoringits power,individual components to visually communicate what the hardware is doing. This can include power status, disk activity,access and network carddata activity.transmissions. Components
Depending on the hardware,manufacturer, individual components like the motherboard, ram and fans canmay have decorative and evenor programmable fans.lighting modules. These cannot always be disabled. Case lights can potentially be unplugged, if possible,unplugged or tapedother overwise withdisabled. If not, blackout patches createdand stickers can lessen the glow.
Disabling the power and disk indicators can make it difficult to blocktroubleshoot indicatoryour lights.computer at a glance.
Vibration
UseComputer feetsystems ormay matvibrate forduring theoperation computer. Vibration dampeners for case fans can also goas a longresult way
Utilitiesmoving
Heat and cooling
Computers generate heat. Some more than others. Single board computers are designed like cell phones to only require passive cooling without a fan. They make the components operate more slowly as needed in order to throttle heat production in order to cool the device. These computers can use add on cooling.
A server can heat a room, especially when performing high intensity operations like converting a video file. parts. This can causebe problemsexacerbated inwhen summerplaced andon an unsecured surface like a boontable inor winter.shelf.
Most maycomputer evencases become necessarywith rubber feet to cooldampen thethis, roombut duringthey somecan months.become lost or degraded over time. ItPlacing maya berubber helpfulmat to putbeneath the server inor Aadding basement.fan dampeners Computerscan cam operate better at lower temperatures than higher temperatures.help.
How do these compound? Cooling a server creates more noise and vibration than the server alone. The AC can itself create heat that needs to be directed.
InternetMaterials
How much Internet capacity your server uses will affect the other people in your home. If you are consistently using 30% of capacity, the remaining will need to be shared by all of your devices.
ISP are often promising you a theoretical connection that is based on everyone using an "average" amount of traffic. When someone greatly exceeds this, it can cause slowdowns for others on the network. This is especially noticeable during prime streaming, gaming and television times. Your ISP might throttle you if you go over or during peak hours
Power
Calculate the power draw based on the psu wattage
https://www.energybot.com/tools/energy-usage-calculator.html
You will also be paying for power for the router, modem and other networking devices
Data centers can consume up to 100 times more energy [10] than a standard office building.
A router may consume 1KW[8] and a large data center consumes nearly 100 MW.[9]
A research study shows that in the US, 50% of PCs are left on overnight, resulting in an estimated annual energy waste of 28.8 billion kWh, and a cost of $2.8 billion per year.
By intentionally creating a localized server for our services, we can focus on ensuring our other computers
How might your power usage effect your neighbors, such as during a heatwave when ACs are running or the winter with heaters? How is the infrastructure at handling this?
Checking where your regional power comes from
https://app.electricitymaps.com/map/72h/hourly
Electronic Waste
Hardware replacement and e-waste
Refurbishment - are you repurposing ewaste?
Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste.
The rapid exponential increase of e-waste is due to frequent new model releases and unnecessary purchases of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), short innovation cycles and low recycling rates, and a drop in the average life span of computers.[3]
Electronic scrap components, such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants.
In electronics, refurbishment is the practice of restoring and testing a pre-owned electronic device so that it can be re-sold.
Refurbished electronics are therefore pre-owned electronic devices (usually smartphones, tablets, or laptops), that have been tested by a reseller to confirm that they are fully working.
Refurbished electronics may also be referred to as renewed, reconditioned, recycled, recertified, or "like new" electronics.
In many countries, the word "refurbished" is not legally protected. However, most refurbished devices have been rigorously tested to ensure they are fully working.
"refurbished" devices are distinct from "used" devices, where a "used" device is one where no repairs or testing have taken place.[2]
The 'Grade' or 'Condition' of a refurbished device describes how much wear and tear there is on the device.
Right to repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment. Right to repair may also refer to the social movement of citizens putting pressure on their governments to enact laws protecting a right to repair.[1]
Public Utilities
Heat and cooling
Computers generate heat. Some more than others. Single board computers are designed like cell phones to only require passive cooling without a fan. They make the components operate more slowly as needed in order to throttle heat production in order to cool the device. These computers can use add on cooling.
A server can heat a room, especially when performing high intensity operations like converting a video file. This can cause problems in summer and a boon in winter. It may even be necessary to cool the room during some months. It may be helpful to put the server in A basement. Computers cam operate better at lower temperatures than higher temperatures.
How do these compound? Cooling a server creates more noise and vibration than the server alone. The AC can itself create heat that needs to be directed.
Internet
How much Internet capacity your server uses will affect the other people in your home. If you are consistently using 30% of capacity, the remaining will need to be shared by all of your devices.
ISP are often promising you a theoretical connection that is based on everyone using an "average" amount of traffic. When someone greatly exceeds this, it can cause slowdowns for others on the network. This is especially noticeable during prime streaming, gaming and television times. Your ISP might throttle you if you go over or during peak hours
Power
Calculate the power draw based on the psu wattage
https://www.energybot.com/tools/energy-usage-calculator.html
You will also be paying for power for the router, modem and other networking devices
Data centers can consume up to 100 times more energy [10] than a standard office building.
How to compensate footprint
A router may consume 1KW[8] and a large data center consumes nearly 100 MW.[9]
A research study shows that in the US, 50% of PCs are left on overnight, resulting in an estimated annual energy waste of 28.8 billion kWh, and a cost of $2.8 billion per year.
By intentionally creating a localized server for our services, we can focus on ensuring our other computers
How might your power usage effect your neighbors, such as during a heatwave when ACs are running or the winter with heaters? How is the infrastructure at handling this?
Checking where your regional power comes from