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Wow! Sustainable IT has been long-awaited in the business world. I always thought about the disposal of computers, laptops, switchboard telephones, mobile devices, printers, and their accessories. Are they being recycled or disposed of in a landfill? In 2018, our company switched from Nortel telephone system to a telephone software called Cisco Jabber causing over 1000 desk consoles to be carted away to the landfill from destruction. Was it buried or burned, infused into our land and atmosphere contributing to our worldwide human greenhouse gas emissions? It is great to learn that IT sustainability is encouraged to be a part of developing organizations’ governance plans to ensure the company’s computers are being manufactured in an eco-friendly manner, energy-efficient, recycled easily, or have a long lifecycle (Shafer, 2013).
Today, due to the pandemic, my organization’s sustainability IT increased as we work remotely, reducing energy consumption in the workplace as we share files in the cloud, hold video conferences, file electronically, using less paper and printing. In addition, the reduction of gas emissions through less traveling to and from work and meetings.
According to Technology.org (2018) in one year, a typical desktop used 24/7, releases carbon dioxide that is equal to driving 820 miles in an average car. Hence, a home, I changed my two desktops to low energy, low powered touch screen laptops with automatic power and screen savers. I recycle batteries, printer cartridges, shred and recycle paper and plastic. I also practice using sleep modes when my laptops are not in use. I also purchased low-energy LED bulbs, motion censored light switches, and smart bulbs that are timed and switched off at a set time during the night.
Shafer, T. (2013, February). Green IT: sustainable communications and information technology. The Global Goals- Powered by Alumni Magazine, retrieved from https://www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/en/global-goals/sdg-09-infrastructure/green-it-sustainable-information-technology/
Technology.org. (2018). How to Reduce your PC Power Consumption. https://www.techadvisory.org/2018/07/how-to-reduce-your-pc-power-consumption/
