Thursday 25 March 2010

Why Do We Need Green IT?

The problem is that too many "green" technology claims are just a bunch of hot CO2', according to Matthew McKenzie on the Enterprise Efficiency blog.

"Green" is a source of incredible marketing opportunities, and the chance to sell complex concepts and technology, wrapped up in easily accessible feel-good language. As Matthew goes on to say, It all looks great on paper, but it leaves CIOs hanging when it comes to one vital question: How will it really affect the bottom line?

That sounds heartless, but it's true. The sooner we face up to it, the sooner we can do the right things for the right reasons. The article goes on to dig at virtualization, a much touted savior of the world's climate from the evils of too many servers burning too much electricity.

The same could be said of almost any business change that switches off a bunch of unused computer equipment. Hey, why not persuade people to turn off their PCs and monitors at night before they go home? Wouldn't an office full of dozens of powered down, rather than swimming fish screensaver PCs have a big impact at very little cost? I can enforce it - just hear the silence and picture the darkness when I throw that big Frankenstein style power breaker off at 6pm on the dot.

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1 comment:

Pete Hopton said...

Twitter @petehopton

You're right, 'Green' IT is about robbing budget from the electricity bill to spend on IT. But there have been various technologies pushing 'Green' when in fact they can't always bring savings - thin client technologies for example. These have discredited some of the genuine energy saving products on the market.

But 'Green' IT is about more than just that, there is a health and safety issue. You see inside electronics (perticlarly in the plastics) are materials that seap out and can do you harm. Additionally there are hazards in manufacture and disposal to the health of people.