Everything we do as human beings has some impact on the environment. Green IT initiatives deal specifically with how information technology affects the world around us and how new IT methods can be used to reduce the damage done to the environment. If you are wondering how your company can move to a model that makes better use of green information technology, read on and find out what you can do.

1. Rockland IT Solutions
(781) 826-9080
http://www.rocklandits.com
Green IT Initiatives – How an IT Manager can Reduce their
Companies Carbon Footprint
Everything we do as human beings has some impact on the environment. Green IT initiatives deal
specifically with how information technology affects the world around us and how new IT methods
can be used to reduce the damage done to the environment. If you are wondering how your
company can move to a model that makes better use of green information technology, read on and
find out what you can do.
Reducing Environmental Waste
The first step to take in going to a green IT system is to look at ways you can reduce your office’s
electronic waste. You can start with the computers your employees use and how you dispose of
them. A typical desktop computer contains a kilogram of lead and a number of dangerous chemicals
that includes arsenic, boron, and nitric acid. Computers become outdated within a few years and
need to be replaced regularly to keep office efficiency up. Before you dispose of old computers,
consider other ways you can use them. For starters, you could salvage them for parts needed for
hardware repairs or you could donate the old computers to families who can make use of them,
thus keeping them out of landfills.

2. Rockland IT Solutions
(781) 826-9080
http://www.rocklandits.com
Improving Energy Efficiency
One great initiative that can help makes your IT department greener while also saving your
company money is to encourage better energy consumption. Many offices leave their computers on
at all times, which over one year creates carbon emissions equal to over 2,000 cars on the road for
a day. By turning off computers at night or when not in use for a long period of time, you can save
thousands of kilowatts of electricity and dramatically decrease your company’s energy bill at the
same time. The IT department can also adjust power settings on computers so they go into standby
after shorter period of inactivity, thus saving power during meetings or on lunch breaks.
Green IT Purchasing
Another green information technology step that you can take involves controlling your company’s
purchasing of new equipment. Evaluate your needs carefully and determine what technology will
help the environment while saving money at the same time. When ordering new monitors, choose
LCD monitors to use less energy. Encourage the use of laptops or tablets over more wasteful
desktop models. Seek out laser printers and copiers that have effective hibernation modes that
leave them powered down when not in use. Most importantly, go to a paperless system wherever
possible. One of the biggest wastes in any office comes from the massive amount of paper needless
used on a daily basis.
The steps outlines above are just a few very simple green IT initiatives that you can take to improve
the productivity and efficiency of your company. Encouraging your company to embrace
greeninformation technology is not only good for the environment, but it also can save you
thousands of dollars in the long run. When the environment benefits, everybody else does, too!
About Author:
Rockland IT Solutions is an industry leader in the refurbished data storage market. With our extensive
inventory and over 25 years of experience in the industry, you can be assured that your order will be
handled correctly and efficiently the first time around.