Dealing with the veiled devil: eco-responsible computing strategy

Abstract

Today, there is much concern about the effect of our computers on the environment. In addition, the issue of power and cooling is a mounting anxiety. These concerns would not seem so important if there were only a few computers in our campuses, but today there are millions of computers in use at the data centers, offices, and computer laboratories across campuses. To put this in perspective: a typical desktop computer can consume 200-300W of power. This results in emission of about 220Kg of CO2/annum. By using more efficient systems, the level of CO2 produced by a typical desktop computer could be reduced by 75%. Moreover, a computer laboratory with 50 computers can generate about 10KW of heat requiring extra cooling. Rapid growth in energy costs and increasing dependency on sustainable computing increasingly require 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) endeavors in our information technology operations and management of our information technology resources. From the viewpoints of environmental preservation and resource utilization, managing e-waste and eco-computing is becoming an important target for higher education institutions worldwide. Furthermore, tackling eco-friendly solutions on campus environments takes a group effort and starts at the Information Technology division. In this report we review major eco-responsible initiatives and detail moves towards more efficient and sustainable technologies. In addition, we look at ways to assess the environmental impact of our data centers and eco-friendly solutions.