Green IT tactics save energy, cut operating costs

In today’s business world, green IT is no longer an abstract or fringe topic. Executives are looking into greener IT because energy costs are such a large operating expense for IT. By using more energy-efficient IT and business processes, organizations can reduce operating costs. Furthermore, there’s evidence that motivation extends beyond simple cost and energy savings and now include the desire to implement environmentally responsible practices. In Symantec’s recent Green IT report, 89 percent of respondents indicate IT should play a very or extremely significant ‘green role’, while 94 percent report that their organization has a ‘green’ advocate, most of which have an IT focus.

To make IT greener, organizations need to evaluate the environmental impacts and business processes and technology used for creating, producing, selling, and using goods and services. IT pervades most of those processes and has become a large consumer of energy. The amount of energy consumed by servers and data centers alone receives significant publicity. In global terms, total carbon emissions by all data centers in the world eclipse emission totals from many countries. On average, experts say a third to half of this energy is wasted by underutilized servers and storage devices, among other culprits.

Implementing greener IT tactics such as consolidating or decommissioning underused devices and/or applications can provide immediate reductions in energy consumption and costs. They are practical ways for your organization to contain costs and improve operating efficiency while reducing carbon emissions.

Comply With Regulations
Requirements for compliance with greener business practices vary around the world. Some nations have published guidelines to help self-regulate demand for energy, such as Greening Government ICT in the United Kingdom or EPA Data Center recommendations, LEED building guidelines, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program. The latter now includes guidelines for servers. Another area of change is the emergence of regional carbon emission trading organizations; these are based on government- or quasi-government-driven limits or caps on pollutants that organizations are allowed to emit.

Enhance Organization’s Reputation
The responsibilities of corporations to be good stewards of corporate funds and manage the organization toward green objectives are increasingly aligned with social responsibility. Symantec’s Green IT report provided proof of this shift – 86 percent of respondents indicated that corporate wants IT to be ‘green’. Proving corporate social responsibility by reducing carbon emissions can help improve an organization’s image, build brand equity, and reinforce confidence with corporate shareholders and stakeholders. Every organization is becoming accountable—and not just for the impact of business operations on the environment.

Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine