The pace with which ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is taking over across the world, it is also raising red flags for the environment at that same pace. The process of manufacturing a computer and even its smallest elements takes up a large number of raw materials, electricity, chemical, water and procreating nothing but hazardous waste. Moreover, if we consider the fact that a single PC (Personal Computer) in use creates about a ton of Carbon Dioxide every year, the threat these small wonder bones passes to Earth’s natural Carbon Cycle increases. It castrates the natural cycle by adding much more CO2 , then what is required for the functioning of Carbon Cycle.
The much heated and debated issue of Glacier’s melting and Global Warming are just assumed to be expected consequences of this disruption but the unexpected increase in the sea level, disastrous droughts, floods, storms and depletion of Ozone layer and spread of disease due to increase in atmospheric temperature are not much far behind. Recently through a report of IDC ( Indian Data Centre), it has been evaluated that 3% of Global electricity usage gets its birth from ICT and it is guesstimated to get up to 6% till 2020.
These production and threats have given rise to a desperation to find a solution, solution to save Earth and existence. But does going forward in technology always has to take away from a Stabilised environment? Does going backward in time away from the scientifically possessed world to older manners and lifestyle is the only possible way? In the face of such deeply pondered existential questions, comes the Green Computing. Generally, known as Green IT or ICT sustainability, is the study and practice of designing, manufacturing and disposing of computers and associative subsystem, efficiently and effectively with minimal or almost no impact on the environment.
It poses the impossible existence of Eco-friendly and sustainable IT and that too on a much more cost savvy level.
The pertinence of this concept increases when we consider the goal it seeks to achieve i.e. maximizing the energy efficiency during the product’s lifecycle and promoting the recyclability or biodegradability of defunct products and factory waste. It presents the advantage of an energy-savvy world at every level be it hardware, in the manner of this client architectures or be it software or service level in the manner of virtualization and dynamic capacity management.
Therefore, IT industry can play its much bigger part in Green Computing movement. Apparently, major companies have developed their products that can organize power necessity to IT equipment and monitor equipment temperature conditions to help discover and address data cooling issues or control data center cooling based on heat level. However to attain such spectacular transformation at a greater and universal level, awareness and educating about Green Computing is necessary, so that the IT-relatedrisks can be better accessed and required control of increases as well. These small practices will lead to a bigger revolution called GREEN COMPUTING.