ABSTRACT

Global environmental change has stimulated interest in the development of local policy initiatives designed to reduce the ecological impact of resource flows through cities (Breheny, 1992; CEC, 1990; Douglas, 1983; and Elkin et al., 1991). But as cities attempt to develop new ways of improving the environmental performance of their older water, waste, energy and transport infrastructure very little interest has focused on the role of the latest form of urban infrastructure—telematics and telecommunications networks. Most assessments of the environmental role of telecommunications have tended to assume that telematics technologies are inherently environmentally benign and that they can easily be manipulated to deliver wider environmental benefits. For instance, Lee argues that telecommunications networks are “in harmony with nature … are environmentally sound, non-polluting and non-destructive of the ecology” (1991: 30). Yet Toffler goes further, stating that “the growth of the telecommunications society would relieve some of the population pressure on cities. It could greatly reduce the pollution, raise the quality of life, and lessen the drudgery of commuting” (1980: 192).