Green Computing

In simple terms Green Computing means the usage of computer devices and their resources in an environmentally friendly manner. It’s a combination of Green Design, Green Manufacturing, Green Use, and Green Disposal. It’s also known as Green Information Technology (Green IT). Since the main aim is to reduce the bad impact upon environment, there are many other advantages for all the entities who are gained with the process. So, let’s see what the main advantages of Green Computing are.

Advantages

• Reduce environmental pollution by lowering the emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) like Carbon Dioxide, bulk disposal of e-waste, fossil fuel used in power plants and transportation                                                                                                                 Some of the harmful elements including in e-waste

Lead  ,  Tin  ,  Copper

Silicon  ,  Carbon  ,  Iron

Aluminum  ,  Cadmium  ,  Mercury

Arsenic

• Increase the durability of hardware devices
• Reduce energy consumption and lower energy cost
• Improve the operational efficiency
• Save rare raw materials which are needed to manufacture new devices
• Lower the overall cost
• Ability to maintain a healthy environment for employees
• Ability to easily compliance with the required standards
• Enhance company reputation as an environmental friendly organization
• Self-satisfaction and a pride to the company employees of being upholding a social responsibility

 

 

 

 

Disadvantages

• Initial cost of being Green might be costly. And also maintenance cost is high
• It’s hard to adapt to the rapid changes of technology
• Some devices might not work properly under Green computing process
• Green computing is still not a fully finalized concept. So, implementing it has a probability of occurring risks

How to go Green

• Recycle computer equipment
• Use energy efficient hardware (Eg: Use LED monitors instead of LCD and CRT)
• Maintain best practices of using computer devices in day to day activities (Eg: Turn off the computer when not using it, use power saver mode as a regular practice)
• Go for Virtualization. Means, running number of logical computer systems on one set of physical hardware
• Use Telecommunication systems
• Engage with Cloud Computing
• Reduce energy consumption by proper usage of resources (Eg: Use an automatic power – down system)
• Use natural cooling systems
• Reduce paper waste (Eg: print only if needed, use soft copies instead of hard copies)
• Buy recycled paper
• Buy green products
• Increase awareness about Green computing concept and its advantages