Green Computing: Big and Small
As the world is increasingly faced with issues surrounding climate change (i.e. global warming, green house gases, etc.), the “green” movement is slowly but surely broadening its reach. Specifically, green computing has emerged as a rising trend that looks to establish itself as the preferred IT philosophy — not because techies are tree-huggers, but because green solutions are affecting their bottom lines, for the better. As a result, many businesses are asking the questions: “What is green computing?” and “Why is green computing so important to society?”
What is Green Computing?
Originally, the term was strictly reserved for computing and IT support that was environmentally-friendly. Recently, as the concept has grown in popularity and accessibility, it has come to embrace everything from environmental sustainability to energy efficiency to total cost of ownership. Essentially, this means that green computing embodies the entire life-cycle of technologies including research, manufacturing, use, and disposal. Currently, green IT takes a much more holistic approach than it once did, especially as companies are brainstorming solutions to cut costs and increase revenue.
Why is Green Computing Important to Society, Business?
Green computing profits the environment. For instance, reduced energy usage translates into reduced carbon dioxide emissions produced from fossil fuels (used in power plants as well as various forms of transportation), and conserving resources means less energy is required for producing, using, and disposing of them. Put frankly, saving energy and resources saves money.
The advantages to green computing are realized on both large and small scales — meaning there are green technologies available for an entire organization or a single employee’s workstation. While these technologies may cost more up front, they’ll save organizations money in the long run. Interestingly, many companies and business owners are stalled by the initial investment in green technology, and fail to realize the long-term benefits and cost savings. As such, let’s more closely examine the types of adjustments that can be made regarding green computing and IT support, big or small.
BIG
When investigating green technologies that will have an effect on an entire organization, consider technologies like virtualization or cloud computing. These particular technologies are closely related and operate from the same concept. Basically, virtualization and cloud computing are eliminating the need for hardware like servers and replacing them with “virtual” servers or servers in “the cloud.” Essentially, companies reduce their need for big, bulky, energy-consuming servers by relocating them over the Internet. Virtualization and cloud computing also have implications in areas like networking, data storage, software applications, and operating systems, again, potentially reducing the need for hardware. As a result, businesses stand to save a lot of time, money, and resources on maintenance and support.
small
Looking at green IT at the desktop level, there are many other green computing resources from which to draw. For instance, power management for personal computers can be an easy and effective means of saving green. While many operating systems come with power-saving settings, there are also a variety of power supplies that monitor and adjust energy levels to increase performance and decrease wasted energy. For instance, some surge protectors will sense when a master component (like a computer) is turned off and cut power to any auxiliary or peripheral machines like printers, scanners, etc.
BIG & small
Finally, there are green computing initiatives that have potential to increase savings in both big and small ways. Technologies that save paper, like email, can have a huge impact on costs as well as the environment. As companies and employees develop methods and habits of conservation, all of a sudden, simple practices like emailing memos or printing in smaller fonts will see instant results. Additionally, things like telecommuting or teleconferences pose additional benefits by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced by travel.
As I mentioned earlier, “going green” is no longer a passing trend or initiative and has established itself as more than just a viable alternative. Green computing is quickly emerging as the preferred and most effective means of utilizing technology. No matter whether your organization’s needs are big or small, green IT will provide the technology you need to reduce costs, increase productivity, and even do something good for the environment.
~Richard McNeal, 2009
