While IT improves productivity and increases competitiveness, this growing reliance on electronics does not come without a cost. Computer equipment is the fastest growing electricity load in commercial buildings, and IT accounts for 2% of greenhouse gas emissions (EL Insights 2010). Moreover, electronic equipment is hazardous waste, which creates disposal issues as well.

In addition to reduced costs for energy and waste disposal, and improved productivity, companies that embrace environmentally friendly IT�also known as green IT�are often recognized for being socially responsible community leaders.

Buying Green

When purchasing IT equipment, focus on energy-efficient products and on reconfiguring your equipment set-up to reduce power consumption and waste, while improving productivity:

Replace cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors with liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors, which can save up to 70% in energy costs.
Buy ENERGY STAR and Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) products. These products are tested and certified to be more energy-efficient than standard equipment.
Upgrade to energy efficient uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. Newer UPS systems are up to 97% efficient, while older units have efficiencies as low as 70%.
Purchase multi-functional equipment, rather than individual printers, fax machines, scanners, and copiers.
Replace single-processor servers with energy-efficient dual-core and quad-core processors.
Use data duplication technology, which deletes multiple copies of identical files. Individual staff members can still access, and make minor changes to the file, without affecting what others view.
Use thin clients. Thin clients are like PCs in appearance, but do not house hard drives or localized operating systems. Thin clients consume just seven watts of energy, compared to desktops that can consume as much as 150 watts. Although they cannot function without a server, each thin client takes up less than 10 watts on the server. Thin clients also generate less heat, which reduces impact on surrounding temperatures, and therefore, reduces air-conditioning costs.
Switch from fiber channel (FC) computer disk drives to serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) drives. SATA drives consume about 80% less power than FC drives and cost significantly less to purchase.

Practicing Green: Power Management and Consolidation

Encourage employees to turn off computers and other electronic equipment when not in use. While equipment use varies by company, most small businesses use computers and electronic equipment throughout their facilities. This presents numerous opportunities to conserve energy.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that only 36% of workforce computers are turned off when not in service. This costs businesses nearly $4 billion in wasted energy, according to research by the Gartner Group.

Power management is another effective solution. Instead of leaving energy savings in the hands of employees, network-based power management software enables administrators to remotely enforce power-off policies by shutting computers down, or putting them in sleep or hibernate mode at specific times or after a specified period of idleness.

Consolidation and management of electronic equipment can further reduce power consumption and waste, while improving productivity. For example, the sharing of printers and fax machines among groups of employees will reduce procurement and maintenance costs substantially, while diminishing use and energy consumption. Furthermore, research shows that when forced to enter an access code prior to printing, employees are less likely to use printers. This reduces paper waste and saves energy. Moreover, employees are less tempted to use copiers, and fax machines for personal use if an access code is required.

Recycling and Disposal

Waste from electronic equipment contains hazardous elements, yet many organizations do not have a proper disposal policy. Electronics is the fastest growing waste stream in the United States, yet the overall rate for the recycling of electronics is less than 13%, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. Green IT practices that encourage recycling and proper disposal contribute significantly to environmental sustainability and reduced operating costs.

Reuse/Repurpose. If new IT equipment is purchased for a work area that requires a more sophisticated system, consider repurposing the older equipment in another work area that has less complex needs; or donate functional electronics to schools or non-profit organizations.
Recycle. To learn more about recycling electronics and to find recycling programs in your region, visit eCycle from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some vendors also provide recycling programs.
Proper Disposal. Eventually, all IT equipment becomes obsolete. When disposing of equipment it is important to protect your sensitive data. Moreover disposal must be in compliance with government environmental regulations. Consider using an IT asset disposal provider to manage the process. Carefully check references and make sure that the provider's policies and procedures match your needs.

Green IT Throughout the Organization

While green practices help to improve the energy efficiency of IT equipment, green IT also reduces operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, email and other electronic communications enable employees to connect with co-workers, customers, and suppliers while using less paper. Moreover, Web conferencing cuts down on business travel, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and energy costs. This same technology enables employees to work from home, reducing the energy costs required for maintaining workspaces and minimizing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by commuting. Not only that, virtual servers can operate various computer applications, reducing the amount of space and energy needed to maintain them.

Ultimately, green IT will help your organization save money, reduce waste, and improve productivity�but only if it is handled in an environmentally responsible manner.

(Image provided by Wikipedia.)

(This article previously appeared in the Duke Energy Business Services Newsline newsletter, and is used with permission.)

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