Is it easy being green?
Kermit the Frog may think so, but for the rest of us, especially those of us in information technology, it can sometimes be a struggle. The good news is it is not impossible. IT Services at Miami University is working on it, but there are also plenty of ways in which you can help.
There is no denying the effect technology is having on our environment, from the toxic chemicals found in many electronic devices, to the massive amounts of energy consumed by computer centers to run the machines and keep them cool. To help counter this, IT Services has already implemented several initiatives to help:
- Server virtualization in the Hoyt data center is reducing energy consumption
- Server hardware that is replaced is repurposed at Miami, sold or recycled
- Environmentally-friendly disposal of institutional personal computers
- Using more energy efficient printers on campus through the bigPrint initiative
For more information about what IT Services is doing, please visit: http://www.muohio.edu/uit/Green-IT
So what can you do? Here are a few simple ideas for making technology more environmentally friendly:
- Check to see if the products you are buying are made with "green" raw materials
- Purchase products that are Energy Star certified
- Purchase EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool)-certified computers and monitors
- Turn off and unplug electronics not being used (many plugged-in appliances are still drawing power even when turned off). This includes battery chargers and power adapters.
- Turning off computers, monitors, printers and copiers when not in use not only saves energy, but reduces heat gain during the summer months
- Use the power saver mode on your computer
- When practical, use a laptop computer instead of a desktop system
For more information about how you can get more involved with Green initiatives on campus, check out Sustainability at Miami and This Makes Cents.
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