Green computing is considered as the study, design, manufacture, use and dispose off computers, servers and other peripherals such as monitors, printers efficiently and effectively with minimal impact on the environment. The objectives of green computing are to increase energy efficiency, reduce the use of hazardous materials and encourage the biodegradability of the used and rejected products.
Standards and Regulations
Many government organizations have formulated standards and regulations to encourage green computing. Under the extended product responsibility, manufacturers are required to gather and recycle old equipments.
The Green Grid is a global consortium for propagating energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems. Some leading players in the field like AMD, APC, Dell, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Sun Micro systems are members of the consortium.
Approaches to Green Computing
Power Management
- Power supply
- Storage
- Video card
- Display
Material Recycling
Algorithmic efficiency
Product longetivity
Resource allocation
Recommended Computer Usage
The work habits of the computer users should be changed to reduce the adverse effects on the global environment. These are:
-Switch off the computer during extended periods of inactivity.
-Switch on printers when required only.
-Use LCD monitors instead of CRT monitors
-Use lap top and note book computers rather than desk tops.
-Reduce the use of paper
-Dispose e-waste according to the government regulations
-Use alternative energy to the maximum extent possible
Reduced energy use can lower the carbon dioxide emission and also the energy bill.
Energy consumption of a typical computer:
Desk top PC: 200 watts
19 in monitor 150 watts
Laser printer 100 watts
