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* [http://www.susigames.com/populator SusiClimate] - a free Mac OS X application which calculates the PC's current CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in realtime.
* [http://www.susigames.com/populator SusiClimate] - a free Mac OS X application which calculates the PC's current CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in realtime.
* [[PowerTOP]] - a free utility for Linux which measures a PC's power consumption.
* [[PowerTOP]] - a free utility for Linux which measures a PC's power consumption.
* [http://www.1e.com/softwareproducts/nightwatchman/index.aspx] - NightWatchman, a power management tool from leading Windows software provider 1E that allows centralised shutdown of computers within a network.
* [http://www.1e.com/softwareproducts/nightwatchman/index.aspx NightWatchman] - a power management tool from leading Windows software provider 1E that allows centralised shutdown of computers within a network.


{{Environmental technology}}
{{Environmental technology}}

Revision as of 09:57, 1 July 2008

Green computing is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. The primary objective of such a program is to account for the triple bottom line, an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational (and societal) success. The goals are similar to green chemistry; reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and promote recyclability or biodegradability of defunct products and factory waste.

Modern IT systems rely upon a complicated mix of people, networks and hardware; as such, a green computing initiative must be systemic in nature, and address increasingly sophisticated problems. Elements of such as solution may be comprised of items such as end user satisfaction, management restructuring, regulatory compliance, disposal of electronic waste, telecommuting, virtualization of server resources, energy use, thin client solutions, and return on investment (ROI).

Origins

In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched Energy Star, a voluntary labeling program which 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. The term "green computing" was probably coined shortly after the Energy Star program began; there are several USENET posts dating back to 1992 which use the term in this manner.[1] 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.[2]

Regulations and industry initiatives

File:TCO99 logo.png

Government

Many governmental agencies have continued to implement standards and regulations that encourage green computing. The Energy Star program was revised in October 2006 to include stricter efficiency requirements for computer equipment, along with a tiered ranking system for approved products.[3][4] The European Union's directives 2002/95/EC (RoHS), on the reduction of hazardous substances, and 2002/96/EC (WEEE) on waste electrical and electronic equipment required the substitution of heavy metals and flame retardants like PBBs and PBDEs in all electronic equipment put on the market starting on July 1 2006. The directives placed responsibility on manufacturers for the gathering and recycling of old equipment (the Producer Responsibility model).[citation needed]

There are currently 26 US States that have established state-wide recycling programs for obsolete computers and consumer electronics equipment[5]. The statutes either impose a fee for each unit sold at retail (Advance Recovery Fee model), or require the manufacturers to reclaim the equipment at disposal (Producer Responsibility model).

In 2008, a report published in the UK by the Department for Communities and Local Government, quantified that the potential carbon savings from increasing the usage of online public service delivery were significantly in excess of the negative impact of extra IT server capacity.[6]

Industry

  • The Green Electronics Council offers the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) to assist in the purchase of "green" computing systems. The Council evaluates computing equipment on 28 criteria that measure a product's efficiency and sustainability attributes. On 2007-01-24, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13423, which requires all United States Federal agencies to use EPEAT when purchasing computer systems.[7][8]
  • The Green Grid is a global consortium dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems. It was founded in February 2007 by several key companies in the industry – AMD, APC, Dell, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Rackable Systems, SprayCool, Sun Microsystems and VMware. The Green Grid has since grown to hundreds of members, including end users and government organizations, all focused on improving data center efficiency.
  • Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) is an effort to reduce the electric power consumption of PCs in active and inactive states.[9] The CSCI provides a catalog of green products from its member organizations, and information for reducing PC power consumption. It was started on 2007-06-12. The name stems from the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, which was launched in 1999.[10] The WWF is also a member of the Computing Initiative.[9]

Approaches to green computing

Virtualization

Main article: x86 virtualization
See also: Comparison of virtual machines

Computer virtualization is the process of running two or more logical computer systems on one set of physical hardware. The concept originated with the mainframe operating systems of the 1960s, but was commercialized for x86-compatible computers only in the 1990s. With virtualization, a system administrator could combine several physical systems into virtual machines on one single, powerful system, thereby unplugging the original hardware and reducing power and cooling consumption. Several commercial companies and open-source projects now offer software packages to enable a transition to virtual computing. Intel Corporation and AMD have also built proprietary virtualization enhancements to the x86 instruction set into each of their CPU product lines, in order to facilitate virtualized computing.

Power management

Main article: Power management

The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), an open industry standard, allows an operating system to directly control the power saving aspects of its underlying hardware. This allows a system to automatically turn off components such as monitors and hard drives after set periods of inactivity. In addition, a system may hibernate, where most components (including the CPU and the system RAM) are turned off. ACPI is a successor to an earlier Intel-Microsoft standard called Advanced Power Management, which allows a computer's BIOS to control power management functions.[citation needed]

Some programs allow the user to manually adjust the voltages supplied to the CPU, which reduces both the amount of heat produced and electricity consumed. This process is called undervolting. Some CPUs can automatically undervolt the processor depending on the workload; this technology is called "SpeedStep" on Intel processors, "PowerNow!"/"Cool'n'Quiet" on AMD chips, LongHaul on VIA CPUs, and LongRun with Transmeta processors.

Power supply

Desktop computer power supplies (PSUs) are generally 70–75% efficient[11], dissipating the remaining energy as heat. An industry initiative called 80 PLUS certifies PSUs that are at least 80% efficient; typically these models are drop-in replacements for older, less efficient PSUs of the same form factor.[12] As of July 20 2007, all new Energy Star 4.0-certified desktop PSUs must be at least 80% efficient.[13]

Storage

Smaller form factor (e.g. 2.5 inch) hard disk drives often consume less power than physically larger drives.[citation needed]

Unlike hard disk drives, solid-state drives store data in flash memory or DRAM. With no moving parts, power consumption may be reduced somewhat for low capacity flash based devices.[14][15][16] Even at modest sizes, DRAM based SSDs may use more power than hard disks, (e.g., 4GB i-RAM uses more power and space than laptop drives). Flash based drives are generally slower for writing than hard disks.[16] Flash based solid state drives generally allow far fewer write cycles than hard drives.[citation needed] Smaller storage capacity per dollar may further limit their usable lifetime.[citation needed] Shorter lifetimes may make SSDs less energy and material efficient in some applications.[citation needed]

Display

LCD monitors typically use a cold-cathode fluorescent bulb to provide light for the display. Some newer displays use an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in place of the fluorescent bulb, which reduces the amount of electricity used by the display.[17]

Materials recycling

Main articles: Electronic waste and computer recycling

Computer systems that have outlived their particular function can be repurposed, or donated to various charities and non-profit organizations[18]. However, many charities have recently imposed minimum system requirements for donated equipment.[19] Additionally, parts from outdated systems may be salvaged and recycled through certain retail outlets[20][21] and municipal or private recycling centers.

Recycling computing equipment can keep harmful materials such as lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium out of landfills, but often computers gathered through recycling drives are shipped to developing countries where environmental standards are less strict than in North America and Europe[22]. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition estimates that 80% of the post-consumer e-waste collected for recycling is shipped abroad to countries such as China, India, and Pakistan.[23]

Computing supplies, such as printer cartridges, paper, and batteries may be recycled as well.[24]

Telecommuting

Teleconferencing and telepresence technologies are often implemented in green computing initiatives. The advantages are many; increased worker satisfaction, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions related to travel, and increased profit margins as a result of lower overhead costs for office space, heat, lighting, etc. The savings are significant; the average annual energy consumption for U.S. office buildings is over 23 kilowatt hours per square foot, with heat, air conditioning and lighting accounting for 70% of all energy consumed. [25] Other related initiatives, such as hotelling, reduce the square footage per employee as workers reserve space only when they need it. Many types of jobs -- sales, consulting, field service -- integrate well with this technique.

According to a report by the Consumer Electronics Association, there are 3.9 million workers telecommuting in the U.S. This translates into 9 to 14 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, says Doug Johnson who is senior director of technology policy for the CEA. That amount of electricity is enough to power 1 million U.S. households while saving the telecommuting family 840 million gallons of gasoline each year. Overall, the carbon emissions are being reduced by 14 million tons annually (equivalent to removing 2 million vehicles from the roads.)[26]

Voice over IP (VoIP) reduces the telephony wiring infrastructure by sharing the existing Ethernet copper (a toxic metal). VoIP and phone extension mobility also made Hot desking and more practical.

See also

References

  1. ^ "leaving it on?". Newsgroup: comp.misc. 1992-11-20. Retrieved 2007-11-11. {{cite newsgroup}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Template:Cite article
  3. ^ Jones, Ernesta (2006-10-23). "EPA Announces New Computer Efficiency Requirements". U.S. EPA. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Gardiner, Bryan (2007-02-22). "How Important Will New Energy Star Be for PC Makers?". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "State Legislation on E-Waste". Electronics Take Back Coalition. 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2008-03-08. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "An e-Government Truth: Potential CO2 Efficiencies from online provision of local government services". Communities and Local Government. 2008-01-17. Retrieved 2008-01-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "President Bush Requires Federal Agencies to Buy EPEAT Registered Green Electronic Products" (PDF) (Press release). Green Electronics Council. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-09-20. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Executive Order: Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management" (Press release). The White House: Office of the Press Secretary. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2007-09-20. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b "Intel and Google Join with Dell, EDS, EPA, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, PG&E, World Wildlife Fund and Others to Launch Climate Savers Computing Initiative" (Press release). Business Wire. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2007-12-11. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "What exactly is the Climate Savers Computing Initiative?". Climate Savers Computing Initiative. 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  11. ^ Schuhmann, Daniel (2005-02-28). "Strong Showing: High-Performance Power Supply Units". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ 80 PLUS
  13. ^ "Computer Key Product Criteria". Energy Star. 2007-07-20. Retrieved 2007-09-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Super Talent's 2.5" IDE Flash hard drive - The Tech Report - Page 13
  15. ^ Power Consumption - Tom's Hardware : Conventional Hard Drive Obsoletism? Samsung's 32 GB Flash Drive Previewed
  16. ^ a b Aleksey Meyev (04/23/2008). "SSD, i-RAM and Traditional Hard Disk Drives". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |media= ignored (help)
  17. ^ "Cree LED Backlight Solution Lowers Power Consumption of LCD Displays". 2005-05-23. Retrieved 2007-09-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Reuse your electronics through donation » Earth 911
  19. ^ Delaney, John (2007-09-04), "15 Ways to Reinvent Your PC", PC Magazine, 26 (17) {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "Staples Launches Nationwide Computer and Office Technology Recycling Program". Staples, Inc. 2007-05-21. Retrieved 2007-09-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Goodwill Teams with Electronic Recyclers to Recycle eWaste". Earth 911. 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2007-09-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Segan, Sascha (2007-10-02). "Green Tech: Reduce, Reuse, That's It". PC Magazine. 26 (19): 56. Retrieved 2007-11-07. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Royte, Elizabeth (2006). Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash. Back Bay Books. pp. 169–170. ISBN 0-316-73826-3.
  24. ^ Refilled ink cartridges, paper recycling, battery recycling
  25. ^ "EPA Office Building Energy Use Profile" (PDF). EPA. 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2008-03-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Mary E. Shacklett (May 8 2008). "The Internet Can Fix Its 'Green' Problem". www.internetevolution.com. Retrieved 2008-06-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

How-to articles

Organizations

Software

  • LocalCooling - a free power management tool for Microsoft Windows from Uniblue Labs that allows users to optimize their PC's energy usage.
  • SusiClimate - a free Mac OS X application which calculates the PC's current CO2 emissions in realtime.
  • PowerTOP - a free utility for Linux which measures a PC's power consumption.
  • NightWatchman - a power management tool from leading Windows software provider 1E that allows centralised shutdown of computers within a network.
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