Green IT
As part of the University's sustainability efforts, Information Systems & Computing (ISC) and other information technology organizations across the University are investigating sustainability issues related to IT.
Tips for More Sustainable Computing
Using equipment
- Whenever possible, turn off equipment that is not in use
- When feasible, turn off/shut dowm computers at the end of work days or work sessions. (Be sure to check with your local IT support provider first for information about what's recommended in your area.)
- Turn off unused monitors, printers, and other
peripheral equipment,
even when computers must remain in standby mode.
- Group together non-critical electrical devices, particularly those
requiring power adaptors, so that they share a single
surge protector or power strip. Many electrical devices continue to draw
power in standby mode, even when not in use, a phenomenon colloquially
known as "vampire power." Turning off a shared power socket can significantly
diminish this type of passive electrical consumption.
- Curtail the power demands of machines which must remain in use
- Set your monitors to enter an energy-saving "sleep"
mode after a
specified period of inactivity. (This provides a notable energy advantage
over the use of screen savers, which still require the full energy supply
of the monitor.)
- Turn down the brightness setting of monitors.
Purchasing equipment
- Consider small form factor or all-in-one desktops when possible - they use slightly less power and significantly less materials than mini-towers or towers.
- Purchase new displays every other life cycle, instead of every life cycle. If this option is selected, make sure that displays are high-quality displays and attempt to buy displays that support the digital connections that will become more standard going forward.
- Purchase desktops that are Energy Star 4.0-compliant. Almost all current desktops can achieve basic Energy Star compliance, but less than 25% currently comply with the more stringent Energy Star 4.0.
For information on relative power usage of modern desktops and laptops in common use at the University under various operating conditions, see the Approximate Desktop & Laptop Power Usage page.
Disposing of equipment
Most first-tier vendors now have mature, effective recycling programs for
computing equipment. Some vendors even offer to provide environmentally
conscious disposal of not only their own, but also their competitors' products.
The links below can help you examine the policies of Penn's preferred vendors
to determine which can best meet your equipment disposal needs.
President Amy Gutmann's February 2007 press release regarding the University's commitment to sustainability.
Learning more about sustainable computing
- The Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star site contains specific information on the new Energy Star 4.0 certifications.
- Green Computing, an IT-specific
subset of GreenBiz, has links and opinion related to Green IT.
- 80plus.org is a utility-funded program
to make desktop and server power supplies more efficient.
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