How IT Professionals can help slow Climate Change

A recent article from the UK’s National Computing Centre details the role IT professionals can play in slowing climate change. While new research by Version One shows that climate change is a hot issue and IT professionals are beginning to think seriously about their effects on the environment, not everyone is aware of the immediate steps they personally can take within their organization to reduce climate change. The recent Stern report is partially to thank for bringing this topic to the front of the public’s mind.

While 98% of IT professionals that Version One interviewed agreed that they are concerned about the effects of IT on the environment, “not a single respondent suggested measures that IT professionals themselves could implement to combat this problem.” This proves a need for education on the issue.

Several initiatives are suggested:

• Implement low impact, high-efficiency technologies – Make smart purchasing decisions for technologies which help reduce CO₂ emissions without being detrimental to business efficiency, such as electronic document management systems.

• Educate staff on environmental best practices – Educate employees as to how technology can be used to minimize waste and maximize efficiency, such as making sure that PCs and monitors are shut down at the end of the day.
• Ensuring low energy consumption – Ensure the entire IT infrastructure, from the data center to the PC network is not using more energy than necessary.
• Considering hardware from cradle to grave – Don’t just purchase low energy consumption technologies, take into account where they were made, how they were made, how they were packaged and how they will be disposed of.

The article explains that not only is going green necessary, several benefits can be reaped as well. Beyond the obvious benefit of helping the environment, costs can be cut, efficiency can increase and staff morale can increase.

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