High Perfromance IT can be More Sustainable

From computer manufacturing to datacentres, mobile networks to video streaming, there is an environmental impact of all IT business practices and, traditionally, the more powerful the IT and the higher the energy draw, the worse the consequences on our planet.  


Many organisations are recognising the importance of sustainable practices in the IT life cycle and are taking steps to mitigate the negative impact on the environment.  


Whilst renewing and expanding IT infrastructure is unavoidable for many businesses and high-performance technology is a must, there are steps businesses can take to reduce their IT carbon footprint and make a significant contribution towards their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals without compromising on technological power. 


Find out more about high-performance technology and sustainability in our recent article here.

 
When only ‘new’ will do   


Choosing refurbished hardware is an effective way of reducing the amount of technology going to landfill. And with refurbished proven to perform as well as new, this is a viable option for many businesses. However, we recognise that fully refurbished solutions are not suitable for every organisation.  


When new IT solutions are required for your business, taking measures to minimise the environmental impact of IT will benefit your business and the environment. Techbuyer’s services are designed to offer the best solution for you whilst ensuring the most sustainable option possible. 


How can IT departments be more sustainable? 
  

Consider a hybrid solution 


Using refurbished where possible is an effective way to decrease the impact of your technology on the environment without compromising on performance. Extending the life of your retired hardware for backup purposes and cascading hardware down through your business allows you to decrease the amount of technology your company disposes of and use devices to their full potential.  


Find out more about Techbuyer’s Refurbished hardware here or explore our hybrid solutions here.  


Reduce the amount of electronic waste through refurbishing or recycling hardware 


Research carried out by the United Nations University in Tokyo revealed that re-using hardware is twenty times better for the environment than breaking it up and recycling it. 
IT recycling can have adverse effects on the environment due to the extraction of harmful materials and also the fact that many of the materials extracted are not currently recycled.  
Disposing of IT hardware in a responsible way, through an ITAD service that provides guaranteed data sanitisation and quality refurbishment, extends the life of IT hardware. This prevents valuable devices that may no longer be of use for your organisation from ending up in landfill before their time. Donating retired IT to a re-use programme is another viable solution for technology that has reached the end of its life with your organisation.  


Find out more about Techbuyer’s ITAD service here.  


Extend life of IT equipment 


According to the United Nations University research, 75% of greenhouse gas emissions released throughout the lifecycle of IT hardware are emitted during the production process. Therefore, the most effective way for an organisation to keep their carbon footprint down, whilst retaining high performance, is to extend the life of existing hardware.  

Options to extend the life of your redundant IT infrastructure: 

Work with vendors who make sustainability a priority 


Working with sustainability orientated vendors allows you to procure technology from a more environmentally friendly source. Whilst many IT vendors are not yet fully sustainable, many are making their way towards environmental goals and best practice. Some of the key ESG credentials of some key IT vendors are detailed below:  


HPE 


50% of HPE’s portfolio has sustainability and efficiency attributes. 


30% energy cost savings over 5 years when transitioning to HPE GreenLake from traditional CapEx models. 


HPE is accelerating tech solutions to social and environmental challenges. 


HPE is committed to becoming carbon neutral across their value chain by 2050 or sooner. 


78 HPE and Cray supercomputers on the November 2020 Green 500 list. 


70% reduction in IT energy use for customers using HPE SimpliVity. 


VMware 


VMware is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions for its operations and supply chain by 2030.

 
VMware has a legacy of enabling positive environmental impact through its technology solutions and continues to enable decarbonisation of digital infrastructure across its customer ecosystem, value chain and operations. 


VMware has been a certified CarbonNeutral® Company since 2018. 


The company’s operations have been powered 100% by renewable energy since 2019. 


Veeam 


Veeam supports the goals to fight climate change and accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy by ensuring customers have continuous access to tailor-made, sustainable solutions that operate their facilities.  

Microsoft 


By 2023, 70% of Microsoft’s massive data centres will run on renewable energy. 


As a whole, the company is working to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove its historical carbon emissions by 2050. 


Microsoft charges an internal carbon fee of $15 per metric ton of carbon emissions to encourage its departments to be as sustainable as possible. That money is invested in other eco-friendly initiatives to offset the emissions. 


In its products, Microsoft sources responsible materials and uses recycled and reused materials as much as possible. 


Support the Goals  


Look for IT suppliers who are active members of Support the Goals, a group of businesses that support and promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the UK and Australia.  
Techbuyer signed up to support the goals in 2019. Find out more about our progress and targets here.  
  
Simple and immediate steps you can take in the workplace to reduce impact of tech on the environment: 
  

  • Prolong the life of your hardware. 
  • Maximise your data centre space as much as possible to minimise cooling and energy costs. 
  • Purchase hardware that is rated for energy efficiency. 
  • Promote energy saving initiatives amongst employees. 
  • Turning the off camera during an online call is 94% more energy efficient in the networks. 
  • Store fewer photographs and stream fewer videos. 
  • Avoid adding attachments to emails where possible.
  • Set computers to sleep after a period of inactivity to reduce energy use.   

Decreasing your carbon footprint and e-waste can maximise IT budgets, improve brand image and, above all, help meet your organisations sustainability goals. 


Techbuyer’s Enterprise Solutions 


Techbuyer’s Enterprise Solutions work with your organisation to design a bespoke IT system built around your business's needs. Our IT solutions provide high-performance technology systems that encompass the values and requirements of your organisation, from sustainability to productivity. Find out more about our Enterprise solutions and get in touch below: