When it comes to the environmental impact of manufacturing electronics, there is an essential distinction between fabrication and assembly. Creating the basic components that of a device is a process that fundamentally results in a variety of byproducts, some of which can pose threats to ecosystems, human health and essential resources. Putting those components together into a finished product requires energy and resources too, but this step leaves a much less significant environmental footprint.

At the turn of the century, a Canadian company named Nova Group sparked outrage across the Great Lakes region when it proposed to withdraw millions of gallons water from Lake Superior water and sell it in Asia. In the short term, this led Canada to crack down on freshwater exports.

Since the late 2000s, growth in hydraulic fracturing has created a new demand for sand deposits around western Wisconsin. Of highest value is hard, fine-grained sand perfect for cracking underground rock formations that hold oil and natural gas.

Sea level rise is real, and it’s getting worse. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change shows that global sea level rise jumped by 50 percent from 1993 to 2014, the most recent year for which data are available. In 2014, sea levels rose 3.3 millimeters—more than an eighth of an inch—while in 1993…