Greening your I.T

27th August 2009
Greening of I.T begins with the use of computers and its resources in an environmentally responsible way. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste).

One of the earliest initiatives toward green computing was voluntary labeling program known as Energy Star. It was conceived by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 to promote energy efficiency in hardware of all kinds. The Energy Star label is commonly seen in notebook computers and displays. Similar programs have been adopted in Europe and Asia. Government regulation, however well-intentioned,is only part of an overall green computing philosophy. The work habits of computer users and businesses will have to be modified to minimize adverse impact on the global environment.

Here are some steps that can be taken:
* Power-down the CPU and all peripherals during extended periods of inactivity.
* Try to do computer-related tasks during contiguous, intensive blocks of time, leaving hardware off at other times.
* Power-up and power-down energy-intensive peripherals such as laser printers according to need.
* Use liquid-crystal-display (LCD) monitors rather than cathode-ray-tube (CRT) monitors.
* Use notebook computers rather than desktop computers whenever possible.
* Use the power-management features to turn off hard drives and displays after several minutes of inactivity.
* Minimize the use of paper and properly recycle waste paper.
* Dispose of e-waste according to federal, state and local regulations.
* Employ alternative energy sources for computing workstations, servers, networks and data centers.

Two simple standards that can be used for pursuing Green Computing:
1) Energy Star has succeeded in minimizing use of energy while maximizing efficiency. Energy Star applied to products like computer monitors, television sets and temperature control devices like refrigerators, air conditioners, and similar items.

2) The Sleep mode function of computer monitors is the best function in place to save energy, which places a consumer's electronic equipment on standby mode when a pre-set period of time passes when user activity is not detected. As the concept developed, green computing began to encompass thin client solutions, energy cost accounting, virtualization practices, eWaste, etc.

Some Facts About Computer Energy Use:
A typical desktop PC with a 17-inch LCD monitor requires about 145 watts—110 watts for the computer and 35 watts for the monitor.
i) If left on 24x7 for one year, this same computer will consume 1,270 kilowatt hours of electricity—that’s enough to release 1,715 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and
ii) the equivalent of driving 1,886 miles in the average car!
iii) Datacenter energy use power used by servers, cooling and ancillary infrastructure in 2005 accounted for about 1.2 percent of any developed nations electrical usage—the equivalent in capacity terms of about five 1,000 MW power plants
iv) Energy consumption by data centers is expected to almost double in the next five years, in developed aswell as developing nations especially in BRIC (Brazil, India, China)nations
v) Commercial electrical costs has increased globally by 10% from 2005 to 2006.
vi) Data center power and cooling costs have increased 800% since 1996.
vii) Over the next five years, it is expected that most U.S. data centers will spend as much on energy costs as on hardware, and twice as much as they currently do on server management and administration costs.
viii) With annual energy costs per square foot that are 10 to 30 times that of a typical office building, data centers are an important target in energy-saving efforts.

Pracitise simple Energy savings and reduce Carbon Foot print:
Practising Green Professional Ethics like turning off PC, turning off printer, turning off display when not in use, will help in reducing Carbon Emissions. It also saves from potential costs associated with waste and pollution.
For more details do contact Eco Ventures at: ecoventures@ymail.com.