Green IT � It's for E-Commerce, Too

Getting the most out of your IT dollar makes perfect sense, and that you can do it while reducing stress on the planet is a big bonus. Laurie McCabe offers excellent green IT tips and resources over at SmallBusinessComputing.com.

What is Green IT?

Green IT refers to the study and practice of using computers and IT resources in a more efficient and environmentally responsible way. Computers and computing eat up a lot of natural resources, from the raw materials needed to manufacture them, the power used to run them, and the problems of disposing them at end of life. 

Why Should You Care?

All businesses are increasingly dependent on technology, and small business is no exception. We work on our PCs, notebooks and smart phones all day, connected to servers running 24/7.  Because the technology refresh cycle is fast, these devices quickly become obsolete, and at some point — more often sooner than later — we dispose of old devices and replace them with new ones. We use massive quantities of paper and ink to print documents, many of which we promptly send to the circular file.

In the process, most businesses waste resources, in the form of energy, paper, money and time — resources you could invest to develop new products or services, or to hire and train employees. Even if you aren’t a tree hugger, it makes good business sense to green your IT environment and culture.

Fortunately, there are many simple steps you can take to do this, no matter what the size of your business, or how far along you are in the process. Many IT vendors have major initiatives underway to green their products, services and practices.

These include building computers with more environmentally friendly materials, designing them to be consume less energy, providing recycling programs to dispose of old systems, developing virtualization and cloud computing alternatives, and providing tips to businesses that want to go green.

Read the complete story: What Is Green IT, and Why Should You Care?