Why Green it?

Because the world's appetite for energy is outpacing production of renewable and non-renewable resources. Because the world is too densely populated to escape the effects of Greenhouse gas emissions, electronic waste disposal and toxic production methods. Because ICT is both part of the problem and a key to the solution. Because to thrive requires combining social responsibility, smart resource use and technological innovation.

Green ICT (Green computing) is the study and practice of environmentally sustainable computing or IT. This can include designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems – such as monitors, printers, storage devices, and networking and communications systems — efficiently and effectively with minimal or no effect on the environment. The goals of green computing are: reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and promote the recyclability or biodegradability of defunct products and factory waste. Green computing is important for all classes of systems, ranging from handheld systems to large-scale data centers. Many corporate IT departments have green computing initiatives to reduce the environmental effect of their IT operations.

• Ict is the fastest growing sector of energy use.

For office buildings, ICT typically accounts for more than 20% of the energy used, and in some offices up to 70%. Although energy costs typically comprise less than 10% of an overall IT budget, in a few years they could rise to more than 50%. Many large organizations - such as Google - already claim that their annual energy costs exceed their server costs.

• Telecommunication network devices energy indices.

The information and communication technologies (ICTs) energy consumption, in the USA and worldwide, has been estimated respectively at 9.4% and 5.3% of the total electricity produced. The energy consumption of ICTs is today significant even when compared with other industries. 

• Data center design

Data center facilities are heavy consumers of energy, accounting for between 1.1% and 1.5% of the world’s total energy use in 2010. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that data center facilities consume up to 100 to 200 times more energy than standard office buildings. Energy efficient data center design should help to better utilize a data center’s space, and increase performance and efficiency.

• Ict sector’s carbon footprint

Global carbon emissions attributable to ICT have been estimated at 2% to 2.5% of world totals - about the same as the airline industry - and as high as 5-6% of developed nation totals. According to forecasts, the ICT sector’s carbon footprint will triple during the period from 2002 to 2020.

• Product longevity

The biggest contribution to green computing usually is to prolong the equipment's lifetime. For instance, manufacturing a new PC makes a far bigger ecological footprint than manufacturing a new RAM module to upgrade an existing one.

• Software and deployment optimization

The efficiency of software algorithms affects the amount of computer resources required for any given computing function and there are many efficiency trade-offs in writing programs. Algorithm changes, such as switching from a slow (e.g. linear) search algorithm to a fast (e.g. hashed or indexed) search algorithm can reduce resource usage for a given task from substantial to close to zero. In 2009, a study by a physicist at Harvard estimated that the average Google search released 7 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂). However, Google disputed this figure, arguing instead that a typical search produced only 0.2 grams of CO₂. Approaches to actually reduce the energy consumption of network devices by proper network/device management techniques are also necessary.

• Materials recycling

Recycling computing equipment can keep harmful materials such as lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium, and can also replace equipment that otherwise would need to be manufactured, saving further energy and emissions. Computer systems that have outlived their particular function can be re-purposed, or donated to various charities and non-profit organizations. Computing supplies, such as printer cartridges, paper, and batteries may be recycled as well.

• Cloud computing

Cloud computing addresses two major ICT challenges related to Green computing – energy usage and resource consumption. Cloud computing can lower carbon emissions and energy usage up to a great extent. One common example includes Online shopping that helps people purchase products and services over the Internet without requiring them to drive and waste fuel to reach out to the physical shop, which, in turn, reduces greenhouse gas emission related to travel.

• Telecommuting

Teleconferencing and telepresence technologies are often implemented in green computing initiatives. The advantages are many: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions related to travel, and increased profit margins as a result of lower costs for office space, heat, lighting, etc.

Voice over IP (VoIP) reduces the telephony wiring infrastructure by sharing the existing Ethernet copper.

6. True, false or no information?

1. Online shopping can reduce greenhouse gas emission.

2. Data centers consume a lot of energy.

3. IT departments protest against green computing initiatives because they make computers work slower.

4. The energy consumption of ICTs is today small when compared with other industries. 

5. It is difficult to find absolutely natural environments but there are a lot of the built environments.

6. The average Google search released 6 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium.

7. Green computing includes designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems with minimal or no effect on the environment.

8. Many large ICT organizations claim about annual growing of their energy costs.

7. Answer the questions:

1. How big are global carbon emissions of ICT systems?

2. In what way can a computer upgrading help solve ecological problems?

3. What are the advantages of teleconferencing and telepresence?

4. What harmful materials does computing equipment keep?

5. What is the main goal of green computing?

6. How can equipment replacing contribute to saving energy?

8. Continue the sentence:

1. Cloud computing addresses two major ICT challenges….

1. sharing the existing Ethernet copper and operating system of the terminal.

2. manufacturing a new RAM module and upgrading an existing one.

3. energy usage and resource consumption.

2. The biggest contribution to green computing is….

1. designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems.

2. to prolong the equipment's lifetime. 

3. to reduce greenhouse gas emission related to travel.

3. Voice over IP (VoIP) reduces….

1. purchasing products and services over the Internet.

2. up to 1/8 the amount of energy of a normal workstation.

3. the telephony wiring infrastructure.

4. Software algorithm changes can reduce….

1. resource usage for a given task from substantial to close to zero.

2. up to 1/8 the amount of energy of a normal workstation.

3. greenhouse effect.

9. Make a plan of the text. Retell the text according to the plan.

10. Prepare a short summary of the text using the following expressions:

The main idea of the text is….

The problems/statements/points mentioned/discussed/described in the text are….

The text is divided into… logical parts.

The first/ second/ third logical part deals with the problems/statements/points of/ contains information about/ gives the definition of….

In my opinion/ to my mind the text is.…