How To Make Your IT Systems More Environmentally Friendly

Julie Starr • Apr 27, 2021

As part of being a responsible business owner, you are probably already looking at ways to reduce your company’s impact on the environment. After all, it’s an issue that affects everyone in one way or another. We have to make an effort both in our personal and professional lives to make a difference.

By assessing different areas of your business, you can find ways to improve your processes and reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of your company. This can come from reducing waste and introducing an environmentally friendly supply chain policy.

One of the areas of your business to look at is your IT usage. Here are some ways in which you can make simple changes to your IT systems.

Don’t Print Unnecessarily

Gone are the days when you needed to print and file every document you were sent. Most documents don’t need to be printed at all. Make it policy in your organization to not print unless necessary. Not only will you save paper, but you’ll also save on printer consumables and energy too. You can get advice on leasing printers from your IT support company . They can also help you to set up your systems in the most efficient way possible.

Switch To Cloud Computing

Servers require a lot of power and cooling to keep them running efficiently. Rather than house your servers, move your computing to the cloud. By doing this you’ll drastically reduce your energy consumption, as well as avoid the need for buying and eventually disposing of server equipment .

Set Your Systems To Turn Off

Many employees get into the habit of just leaving their screens on, or pcs in standby mode when they leave the office for the night. Multiply this by a large number of PCs, 5 days per week and you’re looking at a hefty energy bill across the year. You can set your IT network to power down PCs after a certain time in the evening when you know people won’t be in the office.

Buy Energy Efficient Equipment

Modern IT equipment is far more energy-efficient than some of the older tech. If you’re running multiple pcs, printers, and monitors across the business, this can add up in terms of energy costs.

Replace your old, electricity-guzzling tech with a newer model.

Buy Refurbished Equipment

Keep equipment out of landfill by buying refurbished where possible. Buying second-hand equipment can save you money too.

The same goes for when you’re getting rid of equipment. If it’s in good working order and you’re just upgrading, then sell or gift your existing equipment so that it can continue to be useful.

Use Renewable Energy

Businesses have a choice about who they use as their energy provider. There are now energy companies that use entirely renewable energy sources, meaning that you can power your business with less impact on the environment.

Final Thoughts

There are many advantages to reducing your carbon footprint. Not only will you be helping the planet, but you’ll also be going a long way towards reducing your business costs. Using less energy leads to cheaper utility bills and equipment costs.

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Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • 07 Oct, 2024

Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

By Julie Starr • 04 Oct, 2024

Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.