Tips for Achieving “Green IT”

“Green IT” was on many bloggers’ lists for top trends of 2010. In honor of Earth Day today, here is quick list of ways that you can help the planet. The great thing about these tips is that not only do they present your company as socially responsible, but they can also save you money.

• Recycle old gadgets. We throw out millions of computers, monitors, cell phones, and other gadgets each year. Many of these contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. The best solution is to donate them to Goodwill or other charities so they can be reused.Of course, you’ll want to wipe all data from a computer before you donate it. If donation is not an option, then look for a recycling center nearby that accepts computer equipment. Many manufacturers (such as HP and Dell) and electronics retailers also have recycling programs or can refer you to a local facility.
• Use less paper. Although you might not be able to go completely paperless, small changes can also make a significant difference. Often this is simply a matter of educating employees to be more aware of their paper use and establishing policies for printing. Most communication nowadays can be accomplished through email, PDFs, and other digital documents. Ask your vendors if they can invoice you via email; ask customers if you can do the same. Recycle paper into scratch pads. Print double-sided whenever possible. Use a typeface that uses less ink or toner when printed.
• Use a laptop. Laptops (and smaller devices like netbooks and smartphones, if they suffice) use less power than desktop computers. Nowadays, a laptop is plenty powerful to perform even the most taxing office tasks.
• Replace CRT monitors with LCDs. I’m not sure you can even buy CRT monitors — those big, boxy screens — anymore. LCDs are cheap and take up less space on your desk. If you’re still using a CRT, now is a good time to look into upgrading.
• Turn off equipment when you’re not using it. At night, you can switch off monitors and computers that don’t need to be left on. Chargers don’t need to be plugged in if the laptop or battery is at full charge and not being used. Better yet, flip the switch on your power strip, because computers use power even when they are turned off. All newer computers also have power-down or sleep mode features that you can use when you are away for shorter periods of time.
• Consolidate and virtualize. Merge servers with separate functions into a single machine. If the machines run software or operating systems that are incompatible with each other, you may still be able to use virtualization to combine them into a single physical machine yet have separate, virtual systems. This can also be done for desktop computers — for example, combining a Windows and a Mac system into a single computer.
• Support other green businesses. “Corporate social responsibility” (CSR) isn’t on the radar yet for most people when they make purchases, but you may want to consider it as a criterion when you make business decisions. Your purchasing actions may speak more about your organization than you realize.