In a word yes, and it’s good for our planet too.  In doing research for this blog post, I ran across some tips on the Journal of Accountancy Website for green computing. If accountants are concerned about this issue, there must be some cost savings in it!

 

The definition of Green computing as listed on https://www.techopedia.com is: “the environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources”. Some of our tips are listed below that can help you in this regard. The single biggest impact you can make both on the dollar and “green” side is by checking out virtualization. Less servers means less money and lower power consumption.

 

There was a commonality to the suggested steps for eco-wise technology useacross the multiple websites I had researched. For small to medium sized businesses, multiplying these steps by the number of users can equal real savings.

  1. Check your computer & monitor power management settings (or have your IT technician do it) to conserve power when not in use for long periods of time.
  2. Use “Draft” printer settings to maximize toner use.
  3. Review documents on screen rather than printing them.
  4. Use LCD monitors
  5.  Use newer hardware (most are more environmentally friendly and frequently use Solid State drives that use less power)
  6. Virtualization. This powerful option uses software to setup and run multiple virtual servers on the same piece of hardware. Not only does this reduce power but reduces landfill waste.
  7. Ask your IT services company about where and how to recycle your used equipment.