WHAT IS GREEN IT? THE ADVANTAGES OF A SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY
Technology is part of our daily lives, that is an undeniable fact, and on the business efficiency side, many innovations have been extremely beneficial for streamlining processes. However, an aspect that is generating increasing concern is excessive energy consumption, which, if not controlled and supervised, can have a negative impact on the environment.
According to a study by the University of Lancaster, the use of the Internet could consume 20% of the world’s electricity production in 2030; and, for this reason, the use of electronic devices and machinery have become the focus of those who seek to promote and increase the use of renewable energies in current energy production.
In the midst of all this, new ways of promoting the energy efficiency of different technologies are born, such as Green IT or Green Computing: a technological sustainability strategy tries to “compensate”, in a certain way, the not so positive aspects of technological development. Green IT does not seek to limit technology, but to find a way to preserve natural resources and the environment in doing so, so that in all phases of a product or service, from creation to waste management, focus on long-term sustainability and closely verify the impacts of creating a product or developing a process.
In the current context, where fuel and energy prices are constantly increasing, which means that production costs and the use of hardware and software also increase their costs, companies prefer to opt for computer systems that use resources sustainably , which in turn favors economic growth, secures jobs and helps generate a change in consumer perception of the brand, but above all, it helps reduce the carbon footprint.
If you want to know more about some initiatives related to Green IT that can be put into practice within organizations, here I tell you 5:
- Green programming
Taking close care of all aspects of design, development, implementation, use and disposal of IT infrastructure could help reduce or have a low environmental impact of operations. Companies like Microsoft seek to implement green computing and have already achieved that half of the energy they have comes from renewable energy sources.
The key is good execution speed and source code reduction, both in length and memory usage, that is energy efficient, simple, easy to interpret.
- Make use of cloud storage
Making use of cloud storage consumes less energy resources than doing it on internal physical servers. In addition, making use of cloud storage offers many more advantages, such as greater security and mobility, which makes it easier to manage information.
- Promote the Home Office and/or remote work when possible
Allowing employees to work from home, and even participate in meetings by videoconference, will do the environment a great favor by avoiding commuting and extra energy use. The fact of working from the comfort of home, or from any other place, helps employees reduce the use of their cars or public transport, which ultimately also has an impact on reducing stress levels and better organizing their schedules, balancing work with personal life.
- Bet on recycling and reduce the use of paper
An initiative that can complement Green IT, and that is very easy to put into practice, is to reduce the amount of paper we use, choosing wisely what we choose to print. Likewise, energy consumption can be minimized by reusing devices and other electronic elements, only changing them when really necessary.
- Opt for low energy consumption devices
Buying technological products that are energy efficient will reduce consumption considerably at all levels. For example, computers are devices that do not need a lot of power, especially when they use tools and files from the cloud, as well as cloud processes. Opting for computers with low consumption microprocessors and energy efficient power supplies is the best alternative to help the environment and be a more energy efficient company.
Like these, there are many more options that can be put into practice; it is all a matter of reviewing the processes and products that allow the company to function and identifying possibilities to implement Green IT and other sustainable practices.