Sustainable IT | Ted Samson » TAG: Climate Savers

January 17, 2008 | Comments: (0)

From Macworld to CeBIT, trade shows get greener

TAGS: Apple, Climate Savers, Green technology, Notebooks

The wasteful excesses of the trade shows from the dot-com days are blissfully behind us, good news both for the planet and company coffers. (Yes, I have actually worn those ridiculous logo-emblazoned T-shirts handed out at every table back in the day -- but only for sleeping or painting.)

These days, organizers and participants are taking a kinder, greener approach to shows. Not everything is clean, pristine, and carbon-free -- but from CES to Macworld to the forthcoming CeBIT show, sustainability is on display.

Greener Apple
I wrote previously about some of the greenness seen at CES this month. Meanwhile, Dan Frake and Dan Moren have discovered flickers of green on the Macworld floor. "Of course, Steve Jobs noted the environmentally-friendly construction of the new MacBook Air," they note, which makes the laptop that much cooler. (If you haven't seen InfoWorld Chief Technology Office and Apple Enthusiast Tom Yager's take on the MacBook Air announcement, check it out.)

As for the machine's eco-friendliness, Macworld reports that the machine "has a fully recyclable aluminum case, and is 'the first' to have a mercury-free display with arsenic-free glass. All the circuit boards are BFR-free and PVC-free, and the retail packaging uses 56 percent less material than the MacBook packaging." (I'd like to know how much power it consumes compared to rivals.)

Sascha Segan over at PCMag.com offers a particularly interesting take on what he deems Apple's subtlely "radical new environmental vision." The short of it: He says Apple is focusing on new apps and software upgrades, which in effect extends the life of hardware:

"By focusing on the excitement of software upgrades, Steve Jobs is pointing us towards a world that's better for consumers and that's better for the Earth. Software is generally less expensive than hardware ... and it generates no landfills, no heavy-metal poisoning, and no toxic clouds."

Bit o' green at CeBIT
Meanwhile, this year's CeBIT show, to be held March 4 through 9 in Hannover, Germany, will enjoy an injection of green. The Climate Savers Computing Initiative will be contributing content and participating in a variety of Green IT-related activities at the show. (Climate Savers is a consortium of manufacturers, businesses, organizations, and individuals working to significantly increase the energy efficiency of computers and servers.)

The show will feature a Green IT Village in which Climate Savers and individual exhibitors will present their solutions for more energy-efficient computing. A Green IT Guide will provide answers to green-tech questions. Green IT will also feature prominently in the congress program that accompanies CeBIT 2008, according to the announcement.

Related links:
CES grows greener
Apple shocks boneheaded bloggers
Tech companies unite to tackle desktop energy waste

Ted Samson is a senior analyst at InfoWorld and author of the Sustainable IT blog. Subscribe to his free weekly Green Tech newsletter.

Posted by Ted Samson on January 17, 2008 12:15 PM

November 07, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Govs pledge to buy greener hardware for state governments

TAGS: Climate Savers, Energy Star 4.0, Energy conservation, Government, Hardware, PCs, Power consumption, Servers

If you're a hardware vendor and "energy efficiency" isn't high on your product-feature list, you're risking losing some valuable customers -- perhaps as many as 50, with names such as Kansas and Minnesota.

The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced a partnership between the NGA chair's Securing a Clean Energy Future (SCEF) initiative and the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) to spur deployment of more energy-efficient computers and servers in state offices and agencies.

Two governors, NGA Chair Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, have committed to the partnership thus far, and they will work to encourage their 48 peers to follow suit.

The move would certainly have eco-friendly benefits. Moreover, it would result fewer wasted tax dollars. Underutilized hardware can spell costly waste. For example, powering down PCs that aren't in use can result in as much as $45 in energy savings per system and $30 per monitor, per year, according to Energy Star.

"The average desktop PC currently wastes half of the power it receives," said Gov. Pawlenty in a written statement. "Having states increase the energy efficiency of their computing equipment will save consumers and taxpayers money, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change."

Under the terms of the agreement, these states have committed to reducing energy consumption from a majority of their computing equipment by:

- pledging to purchase high-efficiency computer equipment that meets or exceeds federal Energy Star ratings;

- optimizing existing computer systems by educating employees about more efficient and effective computer power-management strategies, such as better using hibernation and sleep modes;

- and ensuring in subsequent years states purchase computing equipment with increasing levels of efficiency.

Beyond preserving precious tax dollars, the initiative could spur citizens and merchants to embrace more sustainable practices themselves, observes Bill Weihl, co-chairman of the CSCI board of directors and Google's green energy czar. "[Their] actions will provide leadership for residents and local businesses looking to implement effective emission reduction policies," he said in a written statement.

CSCI, an initiative started by Google and Intel, brings together manufacturers, businesses, organizations and individuals to significantly increase the energy efficiency of computers and servers. The group is led by representatives from nine board of director companies, including Dell; Electronic Data Systems; HP; Intel; and Microsoft.

For more information about the SCEF Initiative, go to nga.org/ci. For more information about CSCI, visit climatesaverscomputing.org.

Posted by Ted Samson on November 7, 2007 10:24 AM