The premise of the centuries-old theory known
as
Occam's razoris that "all things being equal,
the simplest explanation is usually the best one." Although the
theory has been applied by theologians, philosophers, historians
and scientists for some 700 years, businesses worldwide can make
use of this wisdom in addressing environmental challenges,
particularly the need to embrace simple, tangible and effective
information technology IT systems to reduce their organisation's
impact.
As an immediate step, companies should carefully review their IT
infrastructure. In many organisations,
legacy systems are only adding to rising energy and maintenance
costs. Fortunately, the accelerated pace of global innovation is
leading to newer products that are more productive, energy
efficient and easier to maintain. Many desktop PCs on the market
today come equipped with power management software that can
remotely switch PCs off and on. From desktop to datacentre,
customers should look for computers and servers that consume less
energy and enable more performance per watt.
There are also benefits to investing in techniques such as
server consolidation and
virtualisation, which not only reduce energy consumption but
also make better use of existing hardware. For a large datacentre,
the cost to power and cool servers can quickly exceed the cost of
the hardware itself. Virtualisation ensures that server and storage
resources in the data centre are better utilised, thus requiring
less power to do more.
Second, companies should encourage
mobile technologies. As the world becomes flatter, the cost-
and time-saving benefits of the internet, e-mail and web
conferencing make it dramatically easier to manage information and
communicate. Technologies such as 3G mobile broadband and wireless
networks enable employees to stay connected wherever they are
without the need for travel. According to a recent Forum for the
Future study, 25% of the UK's carbon emissions are the result of
increased transport. Investment in mobile technologies will help
mitigate this trend.
Finally, businesses looking to make a difference can invest in
proper disposal of unwanted computer equipment. An IDC survey
commissioned by
Dell found that the sector responsible for managing the
recovery and recycling of unwanted equipment is in the midst of a
"major transformation," evolving from a relatively new sector to
one with established processes and metrics. Legislation is also
changing the landscape for how businesses collect, treat and
recycle electronic goods. The
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive now applies
to any company manufacturing electrical and electronic products for
the European Union (EU) market. Customers should work with their
provider to require that unwanted systems be recycled based on the
highest recycler performance standards and practices.
Regardless of size or location, every business can become an
environmental leader by embracing simple but aggressive processes.
Just as quickly as information technology transformed the world,
the simplest forms of innovation are enabling creative,
cost-effective and efficient ways of working. Whether virtual or
otherwise, this will ultimately bring businesses and customers
closer together while safeguarding the environment for generations
to come.