We show where every CO₂ number on this page comes from. Conservatively rounded, always with a linked source. A smaller honest number beats a big unsupported one.
CO₂ avoided ≈ production + distribution of a new device (ADEME) × (1 − 15% refurbishment overhead)
Example laptop: 182 kg × 0.85 ≈ ~150 kg CO₂e
Conservatively rounded down to 5 kg. The usage phase is excluded on both sides — a refurbished device uses the same electricity as a new one. The calculation assumes the purchase replaces a new device.
ADEME-Kategorienmodell (SSOT: src/config/co2-impact.ts): Produktion+Distribution eines durchschnittlichen Neugeräts minus 15% Aufbereitungsaufwand, abgerundet auf 5 kg. Konsistent mit Fraunhofer/refurbed (69–91% Ersparnis, ⌀80%, ISO 14040/44) und ZHAW-LCA (vorläufig −82.7%).
Notebook (ADEME/ARCEP 2025): 182.3 kg Produktion+Distribution × 0.85 = 154.9 → konservativ 150 kg CO₂e.
Repräsentativer Mittelwert aus drei unabhängigen Studien zur Herstellungs-CO₂-Bilanz von Laptops. Wir verwenden den konservativeren Mittelwert (331 kg), nicht den Maximalwert.
Mittelwert: Circular Computing 2021 (331 kg, 230-Laptop-Studie), Öko-Institut/UBA 2020 (~214 kg, Range 169–259), Apple/Dell PER 2024 (147–322 kg pro Modell). Konservativ runden wir nach oben statt nach unten nicht.
Strom, Test-/Diagnoseaufwand, Ersatzteile (häufig Akku, RAM, SSD), Verpackung. Schweizer Strommix (~12 g CO₂e/kWh) zugrunde gelegt.
~46 kg CO₂e = Strom (15 kWh × 0,012 kg) + Akku (~30 kg) + Versand + Verpackung (~16 kg). Konservative Annahme.
Hochrechnung aus verkauften Geräten × durchschnittlicher Einsparung pro Gerät (ADEME-Kategorienmodell, konservativ).
~150 Geräte/Jahr × 150 kg = ~22.500 kg ≈ 22 t.
Based on the open data of the French environment agency ADEME (ADEME/ARCEP study, 2025 update) — full life-cycle assessments of average new devices including the phase split, published as open data and open source. We only count the production and distribution phases.
| Category | New device: production + distribution | ≈ CO₂ avoided per device | ADEME dataset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop | 182 kg | ~150 kg | Ordinateur portable |
| Desktop PC | 205 kg | ~170 kg | Ordinateur fixe sans écran (professionnel) |
| Monitor | 66 kg | ~55 kg | Écran d'ordinateur |
| Tablet | 84 kg | ~70 kg | Tablette |
| Smartphone | 79 kg | ~65 kg | Smartphone |
| Networking device | 61 kg | ~50 kg | Box (Internet-Router) |
15% refurbishment overhead deducted (transport, cleaning, testing, spare parts): Circular Computing 2021 measured ~14% — including battery swap and intercontinental transport. Our refurbishment in Zürich is local, so the deduction is conservative.
For printers & scanners, components and peripherals we deliberately show no CO₂ figure: there is no open, defensible category value. No number beats a made-up one.
All values come from open, citable sources. For context: the ISO 14040/44-verified model by Fraunhofer Austria for refurbed finds 69–91% savings versus new devices (average 80%). Our laptop figure — 150 of a 193 kg life cycle ≈ 78% — sits at the conservative end of that band. The preliminary ZHAW LCA of our upcycling project (−82.7% GHG) independently confirms the order of magnitude.
This methodology is updated continuously. Calculation source code and the data linked here:
org-numbers.defaults.ts on GitHubFound an error or know a better source? A short email is enough: hallo@evig.ch