Green IT
Some facts
• Information and communications technology contributes approximately 2 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to that of the metal production industry. If office workers turned off their PCs and monitors overnight, carbon dioxide emissions and power costs from these devices could be cut by up to 40 per cent.
• As a proportion of the average office power consumption, IT equipment and office equipment will typically constitute 9 to 15 per cent of the total power, and consumption is increasing rapidly.
• Environmental concerns are high on the agenda for 2008. At a minimum, every company needs to reduce electricity and paper usage immediately.
• Furthermore, with power and cooling costs projected to quadruple over the next 5 years, procurement guidelines for new IT equipment should focus on their environmental impact.
Simple things that make a difference
• Calculate office equipment power consumption, in particular look at after-hours consumption.
• Walk around the office after-hours to identify and document which pieces of equipment are being left on unnecessarily.
• Audit the use of PC power management features and set aggressive settings to achieve the highest reductions possible.
• Identify the pieces of equipment that should not be powered down or placed on standby.
• Calculate the potential cost savings and carbon dioxide reductions of shutting down equipment.
• Consider running updates during the day.
• Educate and encourage employees to adjust their behaviours.
A recent survey found that :
• Office workers still leave computers on overnight, print documents needlessly, dump recyclable paper into waste bins and rubbish into recycling bins.
• Seven out of 10 businesses leave air conditioners on overnight and one in 10 leave lights on as they did a year ago, costing their operations money and adding to greenhouse gas emissions.
Please remember we can all make a difference: It doesn't take much to open a window, shut down a computer or order recycled stationery products.
