Data Centers and Their Impact on Our Environment

The computer technology has changed the all work processes and flow of development, but it is important to verify that computer technology is as green as its working or not. The computing is not as green as it may look like after its uses

There is a growing awareness about the people about environmental protection issues and cope them with our available resources. Based on our current progress of technology where most of gadgets which we have manufactured and that will perform their role to stop the increasing flow of pollution, we need to make our computing system complete green.

Every individual has a computer today, now they have been as much spread as wrist watches or television sets. But it is important to understand that how many your computers are contributing to greenhouse effects and leading to global warning

Data centers consume large amounts of electricity along with their carbon footprints. According to estimates given, web hosting companies will be leading source of carbon dioxide than airline industry. The info graphic shows that currently webhosting companies are emitting large amount of carbon, and a company BrainHost.com has currently contributed itself to start green web hosting services.

These estimates have ranked the airline industry with 2 percent contribution to air pollution at top and the way it is harming our green atmosphere. But it doesn’t mean that a household PC or a data serving comprised of many thousands of servers is not responsible for any pollution. Our current computing systems are not totally green at all.

Our average grocery stores have a Computer working there and two other PCs will be working in front office and back office to maintain the data. They are working for their account receivables, cash registers, sales and other business transactions but not aware about carbon emission by these computers.

So how much pollution and damage is due to your single PC? If a computer is working 8 hours every day and five days a week, total working for 55 weeks in a year, it will use 400 kilowatts power and will omit 180,000 grams of carbon dioxide. But it may sound less when your average home PC has not consumed a large amount of energy as compared to our heaters, Air conditioner or electric irons.

According to MR. Electricity AKA Michael bluejay, refrigerators, furnace and water heater are more carbon offenders. But still there are many ways that can help us to slow the energy consumption from our computers.  All the latest computers are equipped with power management tools, so what you have to do is following;

1. Use the power management tools or reduced consumption mode or hibernation.

2. When your PC is shut down, if its plugged it will use little bit of the power, so it is important to unplug your computer form main supply of electricity after shutting it down.

3. Resist to buy new computer after every year when technology changes, it will cost more and extremelycarbon intensive task.

4. Shop smartly