green computing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=350Rb2sOc3U



As I have said in a previous blog, the idea of "going green" is becoming increasingly popular in today's society. The end of chapter 9 briefly discusses "green computing". Green computing is a strategy that many companies have been implementing in order to become more socially responsible. I found a video from explainingcomputers.com which introduces the importance of green computing. The use of computers has had somewhat of a negative impact on our environment. Computer use makes up about 2% of CO2 emissions and manufacturers use many chemicals and hazardous materials to manufacture PCs. The video suggests energy savers for companies interested in green computing. The energy savers include turning off idle PCs, using lower power hardware, server virtualization, hardware as a service, and energy efficient coding. An example of lower power hardware is the Atom created by Intel which uses far less energy than most hardware available.
The video also states that although computers are adding to environmental issues, they can also be used as part of the solution. Computers increase business efficiency and reduce the amount of travel people have to do. Virtual meetings and video conferencing allow people to communicate with others who are far away without having to drive or fly great distances. Also, many people now work from home saving them from having to commute to work daily. These things help reduce the negative affects travel has on the environment. This chapter focuses on companies being ethical and socially responsible and green computing benefits society by conserving global resources. Any company who uses green computing can both reduce their energy costs and become more environmentally friendly.