Green Computing-The next wave in Computing

A Chinese proverb, often used by environmentalists, states

                          "One generation plants a tree; the next sits in its shade."

Computers impact the environment in a number of ways. Making computers requires non-renewable resources and creates manufacturing waste and pollution. Using computers requires electricity and generates heat, which is also a form of pollution. Disposing of computers creates even more trash and is potentially hazardous because of the materials in the computer. The goal of green computing is to reduce the environmental impact of computers for both the user and the manufacturer by making computers as energy efficient as possible, reducing the amount of hazardous and non-recyclable materials, and properly disposing of old machines.

Origin:

Every one of us are aware of the energy-star logo on printers computers etc. In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched Energy Star, a voluntary labeling program that is designed to promote and recognize energy-efficiency in monitors, climate control equipment, and other technologies. This resulted in the widespread adoption of sleep mode among consumer electronics. Concurrently, the Swedish organization TCO Development launched the TCO Certification program to promote low magnetic and electrical emissions from CRT-based computer displays; this program was later expanded to include criteria on energy consumption, ergonomics, and the use of hazardous materials in construction.

                                                             

Advantages are as below:

Cloud Computing

It is an innovative technology to help save significant energy usage. Cloud computing includes replacement of regular services with virtual servers. The distinct areas where this technology finds it use are for software application, operating systems, networking and data storage.

 Recycling

With recycling, one can save great amount of energy, money and time spent in creating these electronic stuffs. The resources utilized and the money disbursed in creating these electronic stuffs from scratch is anytime an excellent option. Only a negligible percentage of used or discarded electronic items can be recycled. 

 Shutting down your Computers

Shutting down your computers during the night assists to save a substantial amount of electrical energy. The projected amount of the energy used up in a year due to continued computer usage is $115-$160.  Using your PC for just eight hours in a day will help to save around 810 kWh of energy in a year. 

 Enhancing Algorithmic Efficiency

Green computing is also useful for enhancing algorithmic efficacy of the computers. Well-organized algorithm utilizes minimum resources thus, increasing the productivity. Therefore, without enhancing algorithmic efficiency, you cannot expect substantial energy conservation through cloud computing.    

How can technology be a boon to  Environment:

While some of the impact of computers and the Internet has unfortunately been negative, much of it has also been positive. Here's just a few of the ways that technology is helping to improve the environment:

• It helps us develop and produce new materials and technologies that are sustainable and do not harm the environment, so we can eventually stop using ones that do harm it
• It allow us to monitor and study our environment to better understand how it works and the impact of our actions on it
• It helps us create smarter technologies that respond to how we use them and adjust themselves to reduce their environmental impact, such as lights that can sense when no one is in the room and automatically turn off
• It allows us to have a worldwide virtual laboratory, so that experts from all fields can share their research, experience and ideas to come up with better, smarter solutions. Not only does this allow people far away from each other to work together, but it also reduces the environmental impact people would normally cause from traveling to meet with each other
• It allows for paperless communication like email and online bill paying toreduce the amount of trees cut down
• It allows companies to reduce shipping and manufacturing impact and to reach a broader audience

Everyone talks about doing something about the mother earth but no one finds the answer to the most basic questions 1. How? and 2 where?   well every one has to think upon this and try to find the answer.

Green computing is all about using computers but in a smarter and Eco-friendly way.