Which aspect of Green IT should companies prioritise?
The right place to begin with green IT is in the parts of the IT infrastructure where resource-efficient technologies can also deliver massive cost-savings. The printing environment is great starting point since there are many simple, quick and low-risk ways to achieve the twin goals of saving money and reducing carbon emissions.
Print costs can run as high as 3% of total revenue in certain enterprises, a number that can be significantly reduced by cutting back print volumes; replacing ageing printers, copiers and multi-functional devices with newer, greener models; and consolidating infrastructure. All of these steps will also translate directly into lower carbon emissions.
Today, it is easy for companies to measure carbon emissions generated per single sheet of paper in their printing environments. They can take part in carbon offset programmes based on micro-certificates that are fully auditable, easy to implement and available countrywide. With objective and auditable data about printing carbon emission offsets to show shareholders and the public, companies can turn green printing into a competitive advantage.
Ryan Miles, chief operating officer at Itec