(Published in Deccan Chronicle newspaper on Sunday, March 7, 2010.)
Many researchers discuss the need for sustainable or green Information Technology(IT) ecosystems. Sustainability is defined, by United Nations Brundtland Commission, as "meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". The IT ecosystems includes computer hardware, software, communication devices, networks, their interconnected and dynamic relationships, facilities, such as computer centres, data centres, electrical power systems, air-conditioning equipments, management strategy and organisational culture.
The organisations going green are putting their sustainability efforts towards energy and environment considering concerns on energy crises, increasing energy costs, the threats from hazardous materials and climate change. IT is the central system for most of the organisations and uses a lot of power operated resources. IT produces more hazardous materials as it changes its hardware in every three to four years. Therefore, IT is a part of the energy and environment problem. However, IT can be a part of the solution using applications, such as teleworking, cloud computing, videoconferencing, VoIP and virtual visits, which consume relatively less energy and likely to reduce waste.
Today’s situation is alarming for energy consumption, electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions. According to a 2006 Gartner report, energy costs in a few years could rise to more than 50% of an overall IT budget. The Environmental Protection Agency states that in year 2007 more than 63 million computers in the United States were replaced or thrown. This electronic waste spreads a toxic cocktail of chemicals in the soil. McKinsey forecasts that carbon footprint of IT will triple during 2002 to 2020 from today’s estimated 2 to 2.5%.
Initiatives for sustainable IT are seen as feel good and soft initiatives that are considered divorced from the activities to cut costs. But the studies show going green is not only cutting or saving costs but good for both business and the environment. According to the Global e-Sustainability Initiative(GeSI), IT industry could save $800 billion dollars in energy costs by 2020 by implementing energy-efficient policies. The GeSI’s SMART 2020 report highlights that "IT sectors could drive a reduction of up to 15% of global emissions, or more than five times the footprint of the sector itself, and create new business lines worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the process".
Going green requires a systematic planning including use of energy-efficient equipments, energy management, optimisation process by consolidation of servers and storage utilisation, virtualisation of servers, storage and applications, IT life cycle strategies, etc. The need of the day is securing smart grids, implementation of wireless networks instead of wired, use of recycled papers and both side printing if required and a responsible way to reuse, buy back and recycle computers, networks and cooling equipments.
According to the Aug 2007 EPA Report, best energy-management practices and high efficiency technologies can reduce power use in data centres by 30% and for cooling and power equipments up to 70%. Replacing CRT monitors by LCD monitors are extremely economical as relatively less power consumption, longer life span and lower air-conditioning bills due to less heat generation. Arthur D. Little reports that PCs waste $5.5 billion of power every year. The average desktop/monitor combination consumes up to 2000 kilowatt-hours(kWh) of electricity per year whereas a typical laptop with an LCD monitor consumes less about 570 kWh per year.
Reduction in energy consumption, waste and gas emissions can be possible with proper implementation of IT applications. Telecommuting (work from home) can reduce not only automobile travel but energy use by reducing the amount of dedicated office space. Using telecommuting, last year IBM was able to save $97 million in travel costs and was able to avoid more than 68,000 tons of CO2 emissions. IBM saves $1 billion in real-estate costs every year and claims another $16.5 million in cost savings from using instant messaging instead of the phone. Going green is a better way to save energy and the environment.
Many researchers discuss the need for sustainable or green Information Technology(IT) ecosystems. Sustainability is defined, by United Nations Brundtland Commission, as "meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". The IT ecosystems includes computer hardware, software, communication devices, networks, their interconnected and dynamic relationships, facilities, such as computer centres, data centres, electrical power systems, air-conditioning equipments, management strategy and organisational culture.
The organisations going green are putting their sustainability efforts towards energy and environment considering concerns on energy crises, increasing energy costs, the threats from hazardous materials and climate change. IT is the central system for most of the organisations and uses a lot of power operated resources. IT produces more hazardous materials as it changes its hardware in every three to four years. Therefore, IT is a part of the energy and environment problem. However, IT can be a part of the solution using applications, such as teleworking, cloud computing, videoconferencing, VoIP and virtual visits, which consume relatively less energy and likely to reduce waste.
Today’s situation is alarming for energy consumption, electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions. According to a 2006 Gartner report, energy costs in a few years could rise to more than 50% of an overall IT budget. The Environmental Protection Agency states that in year 2007 more than 63 million computers in the United States were replaced or thrown. This electronic waste spreads a toxic cocktail of chemicals in the soil. McKinsey forecasts that carbon footprint of IT will triple during 2002 to 2020 from today’s estimated 2 to 2.5%.
Initiatives for sustainable IT are seen as feel good and soft initiatives that are considered divorced from the activities to cut costs. But the studies show going green is not only cutting or saving costs but good for both business and the environment. According to the Global e-Sustainability Initiative(GeSI), IT industry could save $800 billion dollars in energy costs by 2020 by implementing energy-efficient policies. The GeSI’s SMART 2020 report highlights that "IT sectors could drive a reduction of up to 15% of global emissions, or more than five times the footprint of the sector itself, and create new business lines worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the process".
Going green requires a systematic planning including use of energy-efficient equipments, energy management, optimisation process by consolidation of servers and storage utilisation, virtualisation of servers, storage and applications, IT life cycle strategies, etc. The need of the day is securing smart grids, implementation of wireless networks instead of wired, use of recycled papers and both side printing if required and a responsible way to reuse, buy back and recycle computers, networks and cooling equipments.
According to the Aug 2007 EPA Report, best energy-management practices and high efficiency technologies can reduce power use in data centres by 30% and for cooling and power equipments up to 70%. Replacing CRT monitors by LCD monitors are extremely economical as relatively less power consumption, longer life span and lower air-conditioning bills due to less heat generation. Arthur D. Little reports that PCs waste $5.5 billion of power every year. The average desktop/monitor combination consumes up to 2000 kilowatt-hours(kWh) of electricity per year whereas a typical laptop with an LCD monitor consumes less about 570 kWh per year.
Reduction in energy consumption, waste and gas emissions can be possible with proper implementation of IT applications. Telecommuting (work from home) can reduce not only automobile travel but energy use by reducing the amount of dedicated office space. Using telecommuting, last year IBM was able to save $97 million in travel costs and was able to avoid more than 68,000 tons of CO2 emissions. IBM saves $1 billion in real-estate costs every year and claims another $16.5 million in cost savings from using instant messaging instead of the phone. Going green is a better way to save energy and the environment.
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great article, rakeshbhai
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