{"id":49615,"date":"2017-03-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-green-computing-can-improve-energy-efficiency-in-it\/"},"modified":"2018-05-03T16:11:28","modified_gmt":"2018-05-03T16:11:28","slug":"how-green-computing-can-improve-energy-efficiency-in-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-green-computing-can-improve-energy-efficiency-in-it\/2\/32212","title":{"rendered":"How Green Computing Can Improve Energy Efficiency in IT"},"content":{"rendered":"
Green computing<\/a>, as the name suggests, is a method of making computer waste<\/a> (and electronics in general) recyclable and implementing energy efficient technologies. It actually reduces poisonous components of computers or electronic goods, and minimizes environmental harm. The technology used in green computing is known as green technology, and its purpose is to implement technology which is energy efficient. This can be energy efficient central processing units<\/a>, servers<\/a>, accessories or a number of other components. These technologies help in reducing power and consumption of other resources. The overall purpose is to use technologies on both the hardware and software side to reduce environmental pollution, improve energy efficiency in IT and also promote recycling of materials.<\/p>\n Green computing, as mentioned, comprises methods used for the minimization of computer waste and the implementation of technologies that are energy efficient in nature. The green computing program was born in the year 1992, with the Energy Star<\/a> program in the U.S. Its purpose was for the computer industry to adopt sustainable practices on several fronts, such as manufacturing, design, usage and eventual disposal. This program was a success and also made its way to several other nations, like Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and also the EU.<\/p>\n The computers that we use so immensely are made with poisonous materials, such as lead, chromium, mercury and cadmium. If these metals happen to make their way into the environment, by land, water or air, they can cause serious harm to human health. Additionally, there is no solution to date with regard to the millions of computers that crowd landfill sites around the world. While we are dependent on computers for a large number of tasks, they consume a significant amount of energy for operations.<\/p>\n So, it can be said that green computing essentially is a means to achieve environmentally sustainable computing, which can be done without affecting or only minimally affecting the environment, in terms of designing, making, using and disposing of computers and similar devices or systems.<\/p>\n When it comes to green computing, implementing it is getting easier day by day, largely due to the several software and hardware solutions that allow one to adopt green standards. They also apply to all classes of systems, whether it is a small handheld scanner to large data centers<\/a> that host thousands of servers.<\/p>\n The most notable contribution of the Energy Star program was “sleep mode<\/a>” for computers, where the system simply goes into hibernation when it isn’t in use, thereby saving energy. Since then, it has come a long way. Software optimization and deployment can be a good means for implementing green computing. This can be achieved via efficiency in algorithms, proper allocation of resources, and virtualization. Current methods of saving energy include:<\/p>\n These are just some of the more easy-to-adopt means to achieve green computing, and there are many more as well.<\/p>\n With challenges such climate change and the heavy consumption of non-renewable energy resources, business and individuals have understood the need for adopting green computing standards and have shown the eagerness to contribute to it.<\/p>\n In addition to this, governments and organizations across the world have also taken steps to increase awareness in this matter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green IT unit stresses e-cycling<\/a> and refurbishment<\/a> of electronic products. Likewise, there are several organizations too that certify green computing practices such as CompTIA<\/a>, the Green Computing Initiative, the Information Systems Examination Board, the Green Grid and Green500.<\/p>\n As such, many business organizations have also resorted to achieving green computing standards as it boosts their image. These companies often have departments that are devoted to cutting energy consumption and carbon emissions. IT systems often make up to 30 percent of a company's electricity bills, and many companies have started to improve on them. They regularly review their bills, calculate their carbon footprint and focus on their reduction to achieve better standards. (To learn more about how going green can help a company's image, see 5 Reasons Why Green IT Is Pure Gold for Business<\/a>.)<\/p>\n One of the most talked about aspects when it comes to green computing is the adoption of alternative energy resources to power IT. While these hold plenty of promise for the future, scientists have also been looking at other means to promote this. Nanotechnology<\/a> is being used for the manipulation of materials on a nanometer scale, such that they can be more efficient in energy consumption.<\/p>\n Many companies have green computing initiatives that aim to achieve energy efficiency by using clean-computing strategies for designing and manufacturing CPUs, motherboards<\/a> and other computing hardware. VIA Technologies, based out of Taiwan, is a notable promoter of this.<\/p>\nWhat Is Green Computing?<\/span><\/h2>\n
How Is It Implemented?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
What Is the Impact?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Is the Future?<\/span><\/h2>\n