10 Green IT Best Practices

Save money PC power management software can cut energy costs by almost $60 dollars per PC, which can translate to six and seven figure annual savings for large enterprises. For many organizations, this can mean a 5-15 percent reduction in overall organization-wide energy consumption. Buy energy efficient hardware New offerings from major hardware vendors include servers, notebooks and workstations that meet the EPA’s Energy Star guidelines for lower power consumption. Look for systems that have good EPEAT ratings (www.epeat.net). Multicore processors increase processing output without substantially increasing energy usage. Also look for high efficiency (80%) power supplies, variable speed temperature controlled fans, small form factor hard drives, and low voltage processors.  Also, make sure when your looking to upgrade your server hardware you inquire about server virtualization. Use best practices and power management technology Modern operating systems running on Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-enabled systems incorporate power-saving features that allow you to configure monitors and hard disks to power down after a specified period of inactivity. Systems can be set to hibernate when not in use, thus powering down the CPU and RAM as well. Inspire employees When your employees know their computers are using less than half the power they used to, with no impact on productivity, they’ll know they personally are helping to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.  Employees feel a deep sense of pride working in organizations that do their part for the environment. Use more efficient displays If you have old CRT monitors still in use, replacing them with LCD displays can save up to 70 percent in energy costs. However, not all LCD monitors are created equal when it comes to power consumption. High efficiency LCDs are available from several vendors. Recycle systems and supplies To reduce the load on already overtaxed landfills and to avoid sending hazardous materials to those landfills (where they can leach into the environment and cause harm), old systems and supplies can be reused, repurposed, and/or recycled. Improved reputation and brand value According to the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, the vast majority of Americans not only expect business leaders and marketers to provide environmentally-friendly products, but they’re adamant that those “green friendly” claims are backed up with legitimate practices. Investing in a strong sustainability program and communicating the value to your customers and stakeholders can do wonders for your reputation and brand. Energy-efficient IT is high performance IT IT equipment can account for nine percent of all energy consumed by businesses- the third-largest source of power for the commercial sector. Putting power management policies in place is the easiest way to control power consumption across your network. Reduce paper consumption Another way to save money while reducing your company’s impact on the environment is to reduce your consumption of paper. You can do this by switching from a paper-based to an electronic workflow: creating, editing, viewing, and delivering documents in digital rather than printed form. Send documents as e-mail attachments rather than faxing.  And when printing is unavoidable, you can still reduce waste and save money by setting your printers to use duplex (double-sided) printing. An internal study conducted by HP showed that a Fortune 500 company can save 800 tons of paper per year (a savings of over $7 million) by printing on both sides. Encourage telecommuting Telecommuting reduces costs for both employers and employees. The ultimate way to have a greener office is to have less office. By encouraging as many workers as possible to telecommute, you can reduce the amount of office space that needs to be heated and cooled, the number of computers required on site, and the number of miles driven by employees to get to and from work.