Green IT - Tips to successfully implement it (2/2)

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Continued from Part 1 of the tips...

6. Use thin clients to reduce GPU power usage

Another way to reduce the amount of energy consumed by computers is to deploy thin clients. Because most of the processing is done on the server, the thin clients use very little energy. They are also ecologically friendly because they generate less e-waste. There’s no hard drive, less memory, and fewer components to be dealt with at the end of their lifecycles. Last year, a Verizon spokesman said the company had decreased energy consumption by 30 percent by replacing PCs with thin clients, saving about $1 million per year.

7. Use more efficient displays

If you have old CRT monitors still in use, replacing them with LCD displays can save up to 70% 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. LG recently released what it claims is the world’s most energy efficient LCD monitor, the Flatron W2252TE. Tests have shown that it uses less than half the power of conventional 22-inch monitors.

8. Recycle systems and supplies

You can start, right now, by repurposing items within the company; for example, in many cases, when a graphics designer or engineer needs a new high end workstation to run resource-hungry programs, the old computer is perfectly adequate for use by someone doing word processing, spreadsheets, or other less intensive tasks. Old electronics devices can also be reused by those outside the company. You can donate old computers and other devices still in working order to schools and nonprofit organizations, which can still get a lot of use out of them. Finally, much electronic waste can be recycled, the parts used to make new items. Things like old printer cartridges, old cell phones, and paper can all be recycled. Some computer vendors, such as Dell, have programs to take back computers and peripherals for recycling.

9. 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.

10. Encourage telecommuting

The ultimate way to have a greener office 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. Telecommuting reduces costs for both employers and employees and can also reduce the spread of contagious diseases.