Information Technology

The mechanisms for fast, reliable, and up to date information-flow are in your capable hands. The means by which the company may make the majority of its profits are in your hands. Your expertise and continual maintenance of these mechanisms enables the company to function seamlessly and dedicate their expertise into the core of the company.

The fact that you are constantly creating process-systems, maintaining existing processes, and creatively coming up with solutions to streamline inefficient processes is very much in line with sustainable principles.

Depending on your level of expertise and working environment, we offer you some more ideas to create, maintain, and streamline. These will benefit you directly in saved time, indirectly to the company in saved money and resources, and indirectly to the environment in a company with a significantly decreased environmental footprint.

Here are some ideas to get you started! Click on the tep to reveal the explanation!

	Power consumption - It's the little things that count!
	You are probably well aware that a company filled with electronic equipment (from computers to copy and coffee machines) use a major portion of their resources on utilities to run them. For Desktop PC's, EnergyStar estimates that $25-$75 can be saved annually through proper power management. For monitors alone, putting it in sleep mode saves tremendous energy. But did you know it still sips 0.01amps? That translates to 1.2W which translates to 10.5 KWhrs per year! By comparison, an average household uses about 29 kWhrs per day (remember, they're running a refrigerator and lights and everything else). 10.5 KWhrs multiplied over the entire firm becomes significant. EnergyStar Power Management FAQ and Million Monitor Drive So you make sure all the computers go into "sleep mode" when not in use - that's step one. But you know most people will not turn off their monitors when they leave, what can be done? A centrally-placed power-strip may be a solution which controls a series of monitors. Turning off one switch would take care of several monitors at once. Smart-strips such as this or this may be a good alternative to a manual operation as they sense what something's not in use and turns off its corresponding power. Depending on use and power consumption, it could pay for itself in weeks!

	Paper is great - email is better!
	One ream of paper (500 sheets) uses 6% of a tree! Printing also uses toner or ink and decreases printer life. Paper is mailed or handed off to people using man-power and other time / personnel / transportation resources. Email was created for this stuff! Let's try and put paper out of business like cell-phones did to pay-phones! There are immeasurable ways to accomplish this; we'll try to cover a few to get you started: You've heard of mail-merge, set-up e-mail-merge to email the document to everyone! Set the default printer to pdf - it's much easier to organize and people can print if they really need to. Making people manually switch printers will force them to think before they press the 'print' button. An easy to access and up to date intranet will keep people from printing often-used information-resources (phone lists, reference-guides, etc) Fax-to-File: By setting up the fax machine or server to receive faxes and automatically generate pdf's, it can be accessed easier and be emailed to the intended recipient. This will also keep an accurate accounting of received faxes versus looking through paper-reports if needed. The toner will never run out so you will never need to have the fax re-sent! Setting up the computers to be able to send faxes also makes the user consider sending an email instead. Printers can now be set up with email addresses so printing to email is easier than ever and should be encouraged. Make sure employees know how to use this valuable feature and try to make it easier than just pressing the "print" button.

	Mom, where do laptops come from?
	CRT made way to the LCD. LCD will make way to the OLED. Power use, and resource consumption will decrease with improved technology. Innovation and resourcefulness will drive the future into a more sustainable arena if we give it a chance. Green computers are starting to gain more attention from makers such as LG and Toshiba. RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substances) - A standard brought on by the European Parliament (effective July '06) limits toxins from computing such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. 4-8 pounds of lead alone is contained in each computer making up about 2/5 of all lead in landfills. Toshiba is the first maker to bring an RoHS laptop to the US. Asus also brought in a lead-free laptop. Zonbu, maker of Gentoo mini desktop computers, is scheduled to bring in a sub $300 laptop in '08 using online storage options, low-voltage processor, and less hazardous parts. Until more options arise, we have to demand more from our suppliers - contact them and call them on it often! We've compiled a list with more information on computing and digital in general.

	Location, location, location!
	As many IT Professionals know, a cool clean computer is a happy computer. This goes for PCs as well. Desktop PCs, servers, and other in-office computing needs are subjected to various elements, temperatures, and users. A cool computer will maintain its optimal processing speed as well as use less power due to cooling. Placing servers in basements or cool-corners of the building helps eliminate needless cooling requirements. This saves on CPU power as well as air conditioning loads from the generated heat.

	Who does what and to buy , lease, or neither?
	We know how fast computers become obsolete in the big scheme of things. New programs every year put extra taxation on the previous year's processor. It's no secret that upgrading existing computers is the cheapest and most sustainable way to maintain a computer - longevity. Another factor to consider is how it's used - no need to have a fast computer for writing documents and using the email. ITs knowledge of what functions a computer will be doing will allow computer-recycling. Hand down processor power to the non-needy - maintain the latest only to ones that need the CPU power. A comprehensive list of users and what they do decreases CPU waste and a need to constantly upgrade full systems. When it is time to get a computer, it also may be more worthwhile to lease as it's not only a tax-write off for the firm, but leased equipment is typically refurbished or recycled - thus eliminating excessive manufacturing costs.

	Telecommunication - not just for Star Trek anymore!
	Video conferencing is standard for personal computers now - why more companies don't integrate this into the office is beyond us. A camera is a cheap and effective communication tool. For times when a personal "meet" is required, or where a conference call just won't do, video conferencing is a perfect solution. Simple desktop versions could eliminate the need to get elaborate cart and conference-room systems. But whichever way you go and what you need, this eliminates travel and increases productivity. Face to face discussion is vital in business - let's make it digital!

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