Inexpensive Ways To Make Your Data Center Greener

Julie Starr • February 15, 2022



Whether you run an on-prem or third-party-operated data center, looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact is critical. Currently, servers consume around 1 percent of the world’s total energy supply, and thanks to the growth of IT, that number is rising all the time. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a huge amount of money making your servers greener. In fact, inexpensive fixes can make a world of difference. Check out these cheap ways to make your data center less harmful to the environment. 

Centralize The Air Handling

Putting all your HVAC air handling in one place is a good policy for two reasons: 

  • It allows the system to work more efficiently, reducing energy costs
  • It cuts down on maintenance and servicing costs

You’ll notice that your HVAC runs more smoothly and consumes less energy when you adopt this strategy. 

Use A Greener Service

If you outsource your IT and data center operations, then use a sustainable service. Look for a managed service provider that uses energy-efficient data centers. Many companies in this industry will tell you upfront whether they offer green service options or not, and how you can access them. 

Monitor Your Critical Load

As Google demonstrated with the introduction of its deep learning datacenter monitoring algorithm designed to reduce energy usage, monitoring is everything. The more you can keep track of information like water consumption, gas consumption, critical load and so on, the more you’ll be able to tweak your systems to run more efficiently. 

Don’t attempt to do this manually. Instead, find a software solution that monitors all the variables for you and makes automatic adjustments on your behalf. 

Discover Your Carbon Footprint

Do you have any idea how much CO2 your data center is responsible for emitting? If not, then you won’t be in a good position to figure out whether you need to make improvements. Your CIO will have no target metric for decision-making. 

Remember, when it comes to CO2 savings, you don’t always need a complete remodel. Making simple changes, such as keeping hot and cold air separate, can be highly effective. 

Only Build What You Need

If you’re planning on opening an on-prem data center, only build what you need. Companies will often invest in massive server racks with thousands of terabytes more storage than they need, only to never use them. If you can, build out a modular system. This way, you can add new capacity incrementally, including both storage and cooling. 

Use A Heat Wheel

If you have an on-prem data center, try to use a heat wheel if you can — a large aluminum wheel that transfers heat to the outside without the need to introduce new air. 

Ensure That Your Equipment Is Functioning Correctly

Lastly, make sure that your equipment is functioning correctly . Problems with air conditioning and server racks themselves can cause excess energy consumption. 

Also, check that your systems aren’t working against each other. Don’t run a dehumidifier at the same time as running a humidifier. 

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.