by MJ Shoer

Green IT is a hot topic. By definition, you would not necessarily think of IT as being Green. The manufacturing of IT hardware involves hazardous materials and energy intensive processes. Running an IT infrastructure also involves a lot of energy as it consumes power and generates heat. Every server room has dedicated cooling that runs 24x7x365 to keep the room and more importantly, the equipment in the room, at a temperature ranging from the high 60’s to the mid-70’s.

So given all the “stuff” that you accumulate and in turn plug in, how do you go about making greening your use? First of all, keep your technology current. Older equipment costs more to run and maintain. Newer computer processors use less power and run cooler, thereby generating less heat and requiring less cooling. Utilize the power management capabilities of newer computers. Your computer should be going into a power saving standby mode and “waking up” when proactive maintenance tasks, like the application of software updates and security patches, are necessary.

You should also take this one step further. I love the Belkin Conserve surge protector. This device, which costs about $50.00, has two outlets that are always “on” and six outlets that are switched on and off by a remote wireless switch you can keep on your desk. On my own desk, I have a printer, a USB hub, two 19” LCD monitors, and powered speakers with a subwoofer as well as a docking station for my tablet PC and a wireless headset for my phone. My docking station and headset are plugged in to the two always on outlets. The rest are plugged in to the switch operated outlets and whenever I leave my desk for any length of time, I turn the switch off and power down. This lowers my personal energy consumption and the Conserve will pay for itself quickly.

Printers are another area where you can take specific steps to be more Green. Recycle your used ink cartridges and consider replacing low cost printers, that generate a tremendous amount of waste with newer printers that use environmentally friendly inks and generate up to eight times less waste. You’d be amazed how much waste you generate over the life of an average printer.

And let’s not forget about your old computer equipment. It should never go to the dumpster. Every computer has hazardous metals and chemicals inside. If the computer still functions, you should consider a donation to any one of a number of companies that recycle old computers for charitable purposes. If the computer is not worth donating, you should have a computer recycling company dispose of it.

These are just a few ideas as to how you can be more Green in your use of IT. At Jenaly, we are constantly researching innovative ways to be more Green in our use of IT as well as that of our clients. I welcome your comments and thoughts. Feel free to contact me at mshoer@jenaly.com and learn about our Green IT initiatives at www.jenaly.com/green.

MJ Shoer is president and virtual chief technology officer of Jenaly Technology Group, a Portsmouth-based outsourced IT services firm.