A Study Of Green Information Technology

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Abstract

This literature review is in support with several scholarly articles, web & newspaper publications to discuss the Green Information Technology (IT) including the brief introduction of Green IT, strategies of Green IT implement, Green IT in both of the developed & undeveloped nations and finally the risks identified in Green IT practice. Most of the article authors indicated that the Green IT would be a consideration to improve the environmental sustainability which is vital for people, business, government as well as the whole society while a few of the rest concedes that the cost/benefit measures of Green IT are intangible.

Part 1 Introduction

Nowadays, climate alters such as global warming, earthquake, tsunami alongside other environmental issues such as the use and rising price of gas, energy, and electricity, world water shortage, brought influence and even sufferance to mankind, this made the significance of sustainable development become more widely recognized than ever by people, society, governments, and also business world. Therefore, Green IT has come to people’s attention and become one of the latest considerations to improve the environmental sustainability of a business.

Part 2 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction to Green IT

Definition of Green IT

Green IT is the key element to connect both corporate innovation and environmental integration. (Nathalia Devina, Minsani, & Karen, 2011) Green IT is also defined as the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems—such as monitors, printers, storage devices, networking and communications systems—efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment. (Joumaa & Kadry, 2012) Green IT Refers to IT with Low Environmental Impacts (in Terms of First and/or Second-order Effects). We expect the IT sector to innovate in order to reduce its use of toxic substances and consumption of natural resources, especially energetic resources throughout their products and services' lifecycle. (Faucheux & Nicolaï, 2011)

Chou & Chou (Chou & Chou) Indicated that the realization of Green IT could generate great value for our society. As organizations realize that Green IT has positive impacts to our environment, they should have motivation to start Green IT initiatives. The Green IT practices will further create a better organizational image. Furthermore, better branding will bring in more revenues. (Chou & Chou) Therefore, Green IT initiatives can greatly contribute to the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social imperatives. (Chou & Chou) Some experts also indicated that Green IT has become one of the latest considerations to improve the environmental sustainability of a business. (Cai, Chen, & Bose)

Green IT Value Model

Chou & Chou (Chou & Chou)also indicated that the development of Green IT stems from the recognition of environmental sustainability. Since IT has been widely used for business operations and in daily life; it becomes an essential substance within green movement. In order to identify the value of seeking Green IT and its performance outcome, the provision of a clear value framework would contribute to the Green IT field. This paper proposes the "Green IT value" model to fill the gap in the field. (Chou & Chou)

The Green IT value model contains four components: awareness, translation, comprehension, and Green IT value. Figure 1 illustrates this model's framework. Within this framework, the combined results of realizing awareness, translation, and comprehension deliver Green IT value, which at the end will reach to environmental sustainability. (Chou & Chou)

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Figure (Chou & Chou)

2.2 Strategies for Green IT

After adopted what is Green IT and how it is important to us, we may have a question of how do we help our particular companies to approach green IT initiatives.

Expert proposed a framework of competitive environmental strategies that consisted of four components: environmental efficiency, beyond compliance leadership, environmental branding, and environmental cost leadership. (Chou, 2012)This framework was based on Porter's competitive advantage theory and the resource-based view of the firm to reach to the four competitive environmental management strategies.(Chou, 2012) In order to achieve those components, Hedman & Henningsson identified three fundamentally different strategies for various organizations: (Hedman & Henningsson)

Storefront

Without changing any of its business activities, the company reviews existing activities to see if it can present them as green IT. Being an example, Presentation of green IT projects on the company website and through external communications. (Hedman & Henningsson)

Tuning

The company investigates existing activities to see if it can improve efficiency and resource consumption by using green IT, such as Implementing server virtualization, switching off computers, and using energy efficient hardware.(Hedman & Henningsson)

Redesign

The company alters its internal structure, organizational chart, and business processes to fully leverage green IT’s potential. For example, redesigning processes, identifying new business opportunities enabled by green IT, and changing corporate culture.(Hedman & Henningsson)

2.3 Green IT in Industrialized Nations

From the discussion above we know that Green it is vital for business as well as the whole mankind’s wellbeing. Numerous of developed countries have environmental legislation related to the use of electrical and electronic equipment. (Fatima Zahra, 2011) Governments of these nations have already tried to implement Green IT models. In the following paragraphs USA, Europe and Australia will be mentioned as examples. (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

USA

In1992, the Environmental Protection Agency of United States launched the Energy Star program which we are quite familiar with its label nowadays and able to find it everywhere around our home, office and classroom. The Energy Star label was awarded to electronic products that succeeded in minimizing the use of energy while maximizing its efficiency. Energy Star was applied to different types of products like computer monitors, television sets and temperature control devices like refrigerators, air conditioners, and similar items. One of the first outcomes of green computing was the sleep mode option of computer monitors which places a consumer's electronic equipment on standby mode when a pre-set period of time passes and no user activity is detected. (Joumaa & Kadry, 2012)

One year later, the US Environmental Protection Agency has also launched its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (EPP). As explained on the EPA website (2010): "EPP helps the federal government "buy green", and in doing so, uses the federal government’s enormous buying power to stimulate market demand for green products and services." As far as IT is concerned, EPP supports IT equipment suppliers who have fulfilled the green standards applied by EPA and promotes Software to measure the energy consumption and efficiency of data centers and IT supplies. (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

Europe

In 2008, European Commission’s Code of Conduct on Data Centers Energy Efficiency stipulated that: "Many data centers operators are simply not aware of the financial, environmental and infrastructure benefits to be gained from improving the energy efficiency of their facilities. Even awareness does not necessarily lead to good decision making, simply because there is no framework in place for the operators to aspire to. Making data centers more energy efficient is a multidimensional challenge that requires a concerted effort to optimize power distribution, cooling infrastructure, IT equipment and IT output." (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

This code of conduct takes into consideration two dimensions of data centers. Firstly IT Loads which concerns the energy consumption of IT equipment itself, and secondly facility loads which concerns those elements supporting the IT equipment; such as cooling systems and air conditioning. It aims to minimize the energy consumption of ICT by committing the data centers owners and operators as well as the suppliers and service providers. (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

In the same year, Swedish organization TCO Development (Tjänstemännens Centralorganisation) has also launched the TCO Certification program to promote low magnetic and electrical emissions from CRT-based computer displays. As the concept developed, green computing began to encompass thin client solutions, energy cost accounting, virtualization practices, etc. (Joumaa & Kadry, 2012) Denmark also has a national strategy for becoming a world leader in sustainable technology—part of its effort to strengthen local businesses, professionals thought it should be relatively advanced in its use of green IT.(Hedman & Henningsson)

Australia

Australia could be a fantastic example in Green IT Integration in comparison with all other nations. The Australian government has taken serious initiatives to position Australia as one of the most proactive nations in terms of Green ICT. Based on the information shared by the Department of Finance and Deregulation on the website of the Australian government (2010), the Australian government has developed some guidelines for the private and public sector. The main priorities listed include some basic changes like the usage of black screens or static screen savers instead of active screensavers or the necessity to provide automatic shutdown of desktop and laptop fleet after hours. Moreover agencies are encouraged to measure power consumption of ICT as a component of total power use as well as using tools and practices to assist employees in reducing the number of printed pages per employee per month. Finally, agencies are advised to replace inefficient monitors at the end of their life cycle with more energy-efficient models (e.g. replace CRT monitors with more energy efficient alternatives) and finally they are requested to undertake a telephone refresh to consider technologies that optimize energy use efficiency and minimize duplication of handsets per employee. Long term goals provide a realistic idea of the future steps to follow for a successful Green IT implementation. (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

As part of an important change in the policies and strategy of companies and governments, a recent study published by www.thegreenitreview.com (2010), showed that 18.8% of the ICT carbon footprint in Australia in 2009 came from data centers. This report, developed by Connection Research for the Australian Computer Society (ACS) showed details of the energy consumption and carbon footprint of ICT usage in Australia plus an examination of how ICT can act as a low carbon enabler. It emphasizes the way to improve energy efficiency using, for example, the support of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA). Moreover, the report offers advice on the emergence of new competitors and the need in the near future to create strategic alliances and build stronger and more reliable programs. (Nathalia Devina et al., 2011)

Those developed countries’ Green IT implement can be very useful examples for the developing nations to learn and improve; however, it is easier said than done to imply Green IT in developing countries.

2.4 Is Green IT important for developing countries?

Fatima (2011) thought that the use of information technologies in developing countries is not as important as their industrialized brothers. (Fatima Zahra, 2011) Moreover, compared to traditional IT systems, green IT more actively engages users and has greater implications for a sustainable society. Consequently, green IT research must produce scientific, accessible results—that is, results that are understandable to and usable by consumers, companies, volunteers, and policymakers. (Xu)

The electronic booms we have been witnessing throughout the last decades have caused a massive quantity of unwanted electronic products referred to as e-waste. E-waste has been increasing recently by 25-55 million tones every year and especially severe in developing parts of the world. (Joumaa & Kadry, 2012) Despite this, the actual reason that E-waste became a real concern for developing countries mostly because these countries are a destination of developed countries’ e-waste as illegal export of e-waste from developed countries to African and Asian countries is significant and could take sometimes the form of donations. (Fatima Zahra, 2011)

Furthermore, developing countries face big challenges such as poverty, illiteracy and diseases. In this context, people may think that Green-IT cannot be a priority. Nevertheless, Fatima (2011) still suggested that this new field will be of a great interest when people realize that developing countries are highly concerned by e-waste problem and that Green-IT offers opportunities and allows for economic, social and environmental benefits.(Fatima Zahra, 2011)

Fatima (2011) thought that E-waste as a major issue, may offer opportunities to developing countries. Konrad Osterwalder, United Nations Under- Secretary said that "boosting developing country e-waste recycling rates can have the potential to generate decent employment, cut greenhouse gas emissions and recover a wide range of valuable metals". From this perspective, e-waste is an asset that needs proper treatment to contribute to economic and social development while preserving the environment. To achieve this goal, state-of-the-art facilities should be created and informal sector should be banned and replaced by more organized structures. (Fatima Zahra, 2011)

Designing green IT systems offers an opportunity to induce green behavior in both non-IT systems and society.(Xu) Thus Green-IT has also a major benefit of saving energy and consequently reducing greenhouse gas emission. This helps make financial saving and fulfill the commitment made by some developing countries, under the Copenhagen Accord, for greenhouse gas cuts. (Fatima Zahra, 2011)

2.5 Risks in Green IT Practice

As mentioned above in the Green IT value model in Part 2.1, the combination of Green IT's awareness, translation, and comprehension will generate expected Green IT value. In this study, Chou (2012) intends to discover risk factors that embedded in all three components that may affect Green IT value. Furthermore, these risks may finally affect the achievement of environmental sustainability.(Chou, 2012) Figure 2 illustrates that some potential risks may exist in Green IT value model.(Chou, 2012)

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Figure (Chou, 2012)

Chou (2012) has summarized the risks that embedded in each stage of the Green IT value model and these are listed below:

Risk in awareness component:

• Lack of the knowledge of environmental sustainability.

• Lack of the knowledge of green IT.

• Profit-centered managerial philosophy.

• Lack of individual behavioral change.

• Lack of social responsibility.

• Insufficient business ethics.

• Insufficient effort from government.

(Chou, 2012)

Risk in translation component:

• Insufficient support from top management.

• Concern of investment risk.

• Lack of stakeholder's consent and support.

• Inadequate experience in green IT.

• Insufficient funding to green IT initiatives.

• Lack of specific IT support.

• Inadequate experience in change management.

• Inadequate experience in training programs.

• Lack of skill in building knowledge management system.

(Chou, 2012)

Risk in comprehension component:

• Lack of knowledge of green IT metrics.

• Insufficient experience in workplace monitoring.

• Selecting improper tools for calculating energy usage.

• Insufficient knowledge in creating EMS.

• Insufficient knowledge in crafting green IT policies and laws.

(Chou, 2012)

Risk in Green IT value:

• Insufficient knowledge in defining the value of awareness, translation and comprehension.

• Insufficient knowledge in calculating green IT value.

• Insufficient value data to be collected in organizations.

• Insufficient capability of interpreting the results of value.

• Insufficient capability of communicating with the society.

(Chou, 2012)

Part 3 Conclusion

Cai, Shun, Chen, Xi, & Bose, Indranil. The many faces of green IT.(Report). International Journal of Business Data Communications and Networking, 8(2), 52.

Chou, David C. (2012). Risk identification in Green IT practice. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 35(2), 231-237. doi: 10.1016/j.csi.2012.10.001

Chou, David C., & Chou, Amy Y. Awareness of Green IT and its value model. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 34(5), 447-451. doi: 10.1016/j.csi.2012.03.001

Fatima Zahra, Hanne. (2011). GREEN IT- Why Developing Countries Should Care. International Journal of Computer Science Issues, 8(4), 424.

Faucheux, S., & Nicolaï, I. (2011). IT for green and green IT: A proposed typology of eco-innovation. Ecological Economics, 70(11), 2020-2027. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.05.019

Hedman, Jonas, & Henningsson, Stefan. Three Strategies for Green IT. IT Professional, 13(1), 54-57. doi: 10.1109/MITP.2010.141

Joumaa, Chibli, & Kadry, Seifedine. (2012). Green IT: Case Studies. Energy Procedia, 16, 1052-1058. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2012.01.168

Nathalia Devina, Widjaja, Minsani, Mariani, & Karen, Imam. (2011). IT Professionals Awareness: Green IT International Comparison Study. Communications of the IBIMA, 2011(534852), 1.

Xu, Zhiwei. Measuring Green IT in Society. Computer, 45(5), 83-85. doi: 10.1109/MC.2012.176