Green IT or Green Computing refers to minimizing the impact on the environment of designing, manufacturing, using and disposing of computers, servers and associated peripherals such as monitors, printers, storage devices, and networking and communications systems. The goals are to reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product’s lifetime and promote the effective recycling of the technology at the end of its useful life. According to Wikipedia the purpose of green computing are similar to green chemistry which reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and promote the recyclabilty of defunct products and factory waste. Many corporate IT departments have green computing initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their IT operations.
According to a 2007 Gartner report, data-centre electricity consumption
is almost 0.5% of world electricity production. A McKinsey report showed
that between 2000 and 2006 the power consumption of data centres
doubled and the average data centre consumes the energy equivalent of
25,000 households. In fact, data centres generate 0.3% of global carbon
dioxide emissions, a surprising statistic considering that airlines,
which are considered heavy emitters, contribute only 0.6%. Clearly with
cap and trade and carbon taxes such as those in British Columbia, there
is added incentive to implement green computing, or green IT,
initiatives.
All businesses are increasingly dependent on technology including small business. We work on our PCs, notebooks and smart phones all day, connected to servers running 24 hours a day and 7 days a week or in other words is everyday. Because the technology refresh cycle is fast, these devices quickly become obsolete or out of date and at some point more often sooner than later we dispose of old devices and replace them with new ones. We use massive quantities of paper and ink to print documents, many of which we promptly send to the circular file. In the process, most businesses waste resources, in the form of energy, paper, money and time.
All businesses are increasingly dependent on technology including small business. We work on our PCs, notebooks and smart phones all day, connected to servers running 24 hours a day and 7 days a week or in other words is everyday. Because the technology refresh cycle is fast, these devices quickly become obsolete or out of date and at some point more often sooner than later we dispose of old devices and replace them with new ones. We use massive quantities of paper and ink to print documents, many of which we promptly send to the circular file. In the process, most businesses waste resources, in the form of energy, paper, money and time.
Solutions:
Simple procedures can be implemented such as powering down systems and lights-out processing sites. Green IT also involves rewriting programs to run more efficiently or on implementing new technologies that consume less electricity. It can involve providing more electronic access and self-reporting techniques used by utilities that allow consumers to view their bills and make payments online. Green initiatives that focus on “low-hanging fruits,” especially conservation-based efforts such as energy-efficient devices, power-saving strategies, eliminating excessive use of resources, etc., can yield the dual benefits of protecting the environment and saving money. Minimize of printing document process.
Go Green!
Simple procedures can be implemented such as powering down systems and lights-out processing sites. Green IT also involves rewriting programs to run more efficiently or on implementing new technologies that consume less electricity. It can involve providing more electronic access and self-reporting techniques used by utilities that allow consumers to view their bills and make payments online. Green initiatives that focus on “low-hanging fruits,” especially conservation-based efforts such as energy-efficient devices, power-saving strategies, eliminating excessive use of resources, etc., can yield the dual benefits of protecting the environment and saving money. Minimize of printing document process.
Go Green!
GREEN IT