How To Reduce Your Environmental Impact Through IT

Julie Starr • June 10, 2020



The bigger the company, the more likely it is to have a high energy consumption from it’s IT infrastructure.  You might think that this is a necessary evil of modern technology but, if you are a business looking to reduce its carbon footprint, then there are a number of things you can do to lessen your impact on the environment. 

Upgrade Your Hardware

If you’re still using old-style CRT monitors and archaic printers, then they are not very energy efficient and are using far more power than they need to.  They cost more to run and more to leave on standby, plus, they aren’t very efficient and in today’s workplace, are probably slowing down your employees. 

Upgrading to the latest hardware will increase productivity and save energy as modern computers and peripherals use a lot less power to run. 

If you aren’t sure what changes you need to make, get in touch with your IT support partner , they will be able to advise you on the most appropriate new equipment and also arrange for the existing equipment to be recycled or disposed of legally and safely.  You can be confident that it won’t simply end up in a landfill if there are components that can be recycled.   

Set Your Office IT To Power Down At Night

How many times have you worked late, and as you left the office, spotted monitors still powered on or PCs left on standby rather than being switched off? It’s a common sight in workplaces all over the world. You might think that because they are on standby, they aren’t using much power.  While the amount of power is minimal, multiply it by the hundreds of machines in your office and it soon starts to add up. 

If you work in a large company, that could be hundreds of pieces of equipment left on every single night.  

Have your IT team, or IT support company set a rule that turns off all hardware at a certain time in the evening.  Over the course of the year, that can save you a small fortune in energy costs.  You don’t have to worry about suddenly losing power if you’re still working, the system will know that your computer is still active and your work will be safe. 

Opt For Digital Storage Solutions – There are more reasons now to go paperless than ever before, and one of these is to do with your storage. Not everyone has the ability to store all of their files in-house, and so they end up renting storage units to store documents that, for the most part, will never get seen again. It’s a good idea to buy your company custom USB drives. Not only is it safer to store everything digitally onto a USB drive, it just makes it easier to access the relevant files you need. That way, you don’t need to waste time, money, or resources sifting through mountains of documents to find what you’re looking for.

Move To The Cloud

There are many benefits to moving to cloud computing. You save money on servers and infrastructure, as well as space and power needed to run it.  You will also need an on-site IT resource to run and monitor it.  

 People often focus on financial savings on hardware and staffing costs. Cloud computing is also much better for the environment.  

A study on the environmental impact of cloud computing was conducted by Microsoft entitled ‘The Carbon Benefits of Cloud Computing: A Study on the Microsoft Cloud’.  The study showed that cloud computing (Microsoft’s) had 98% lower carbon emissions than traditional on-site data centers.  

The popularity of cloud computing has also led to a process called dematerialization. This is the replacement of physical (and high-carbon) items with virtual data. All in all, there are a lot fewer pieces of hardware and physical media produced. 

This virtualized storage can also make the paperless office one step closer.  The ease of accessing and storing files makes it much less likely that people will print out and physically store information. 

Cloud data providers have come to realize that businesses want to reduce their carbon footprint , so they are starting to power their data centers from energy retrieved from renewable sources such as wind, hydropower, geothermal and solar. 

Annually, cloud computing can save billions of dollars and reduce emissions by millions of tons.  It really is a win-win. 

Implement A Remote Working Policy

Employees spend a long time commuting back and forth to work every day.  Unless they walk, cycle or use an electric vehicle, then they are going to be using transport that has an impact on the environment.  The average employee, working Monday – Friday spends between 4.5 – 10.7 hours per week commuting . 

There are many advantages to working at home from both a productivity and wellbeing standpoint, but you’ll also be reducing the carbon travel footprint of your employees.  In a survey by Regus, 91% of people said that they were more productive when they worked from home . 

You do not have to go fully remote, but even allowing employees to work from home one of two days per week will have a massive impact on the environment.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.