How Green IT Can Save Money and the Environment

September 28, 2010

Greening Your Nonprofit's IT: How to Save the Environment and Money

Anna S. JaegerCo-Director of GreenTech

TechSoup Global

[email protected]/greentech

An Introduction to Green Software, Hardware, and Practices

The Learning Objective: Experience and learn about a wide array of green technology options and how they can save you money

Take Aways: • Reduce waste, save money, and make your

nonprofit story more robust• Easy changes that won’t break the bank • Situational changes so you don’t have to convince

everyone to change their personal habits. • Learn about some great technologies.

We are working toward a time when every nonprofit and social benefit organization on the planet has the technology resources and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential

TechSoup is an integrated offering of the Resources, Knowledge, and Connections that NPO’s need to effectively use technology to advance their work

Information(Knowledge)

Donations(Resources)

Community(Connections)

TechSoup

Mission of GreenTech

Help nonprofits and NGOs reduce their environmental impact through the effective use of technology.

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We help you, reduce the impact of your IT and use IT to reduce the impact of your organization.

www.techsoup.org/greentech @TSGreenTech

Please Ask Questions

What are some things you would specifically like to learn today?

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As we go along, please feel free to ask questions.

Valuable Prizes

Pay attention, I have prizes to give away, but you must answer questions based on the presentation!

Your Technical Experience Poll

Technical Experience:• Accidental Techie• Some Technical Experience• Solid Tech Experience• Advanced

Quick Audience Poll

Knowledge of Green IT• Beginner• Intermediate• Advanced

Why Green Your IT?

Images are CC, click on image for attribution.

Green IT Generally Encompases:

• IT electricity reduction• Paper reduction• Travel reduction• IT hardware reduction• Extending the life of your IT equipment• Procuring IT equipment that uses less

electricity and has fewer toxics• Properly disposing of all e-waste• Cloud computing

Three Categories

• Green Software• Green Practices• Green Hardware

Green Software Definition

• Software that can help you directly green your IT. Software that reduces the use of energy by IT equipment.

• Another category: Software that helps you green your organization. Addressed in Green Practices section.

• Note: some of these are just good technologies, and their “green” potential is simply an additional benefit

ICT Emissions & Energy Consumption

2%

5%

Slide by David Deal of Community IT Innovators

Green Software

• Power Management• Virtualization – Desktop and Server• Software as a Service (Cloud)

Green Software

• Power Management

Power Management Definition

Software that allows you to control the various power settings on your computer.

These often include: Monitor sleepHard drive spin downComputer sleep/standbyComputer hibernate

Power Management Stats

• The average desktop PC wastes nearly half of the energy it consumes as heat.

• Using power management can save nearly half a ton of CO2 & approx. $60/year/comp in energy costs. Stats from Climate Savers Computing

• Cut PC energy use up to 70%, save about $50 per desktop (NRDC)

• Workstations represent 3 times the energy consumption of the server room

Power Management on Windows

Windows 7 has a lot more ways to be energy efficient. It also has wizards that will flag the areas where you can save.

Power Management Settings

My recommendations:Monitor sleep after 5 minHard drives to sleep after 10 minSystem Sleep after 20 minBe more aggressive if on battery

• Consider joining Climate Savers Computing

Power Management Tools

• Individual (free) solutions:Built-in tools (windows & macs)Verdiem’s Edison

• Enterprise tools: Verdiem SurveyorFaronics PowerSave

Green Software: Virtualization

Slide by Peter Campbell of Earth Justice

Warning!

Virtualization Definition

Two main Types:• Desktop• Server

Some Benefits:• Reduced capital expenditures• Fewer machines requiring power to run• Fewer machines built, transported and disposed of

Use one computer as many. Run multiple operating systems on one physical box.

Virtualization


Virtualization Poll

• How many of you are already using virtualized servers or desktops?

Virtualization Stats


Stats: Server Virtualization

• Energy reduction up to 82%• Small & medium-sized NPO’s (<100 PCs)

often virtualize 4-8 servers on 1 physical server

• TechRepublic estimates that individual servers use as little as 5% of their processing power even though they’re draining resources by being plugged in and running 24 hours a day.


Our Own Case Study• The project took several months and had a

number of benefits to us: • Data Center: Consolidated 18 servers 4

46% savings in electricity each month Saved us $30,000 for remote server control hardware.

• Headquarters: Consolidated 60 servers 4 72% savings in electricity each month

• Saved us $40,000 in upgrades we didn't need to do to our server room cooling system.

• $24,000 annual savings in server administration time by cutting server administration time by 40 to 50 hours a month. Software crashes on the new virtualized system have also decreased.

• New virtual servers are much faster and easier to install without needing additional space or cabling.

Virtualization Tools

• Commercial (most have free versions)VMWare (Server, Desktop)Citrix Xen Server and DesktopMicrosoft Virtual Server, Windows Server 2008

• Open SourceXen (Open Source version of Citrix product)VirtualBox

(Server-based)

Desktop Virtualization

• Desktop virtualization makes energy savings possible by allowing the use of terminals instead of desktops or laptops

• Also, roaming access = travel reduction!


Green Software: SaaS

• Software as a Service (Cloud)

Image from: http://www.eci.com/blog/25-why-cloud-computing-is-right-for-your-hedge-fund.html

Software as a Service Definition

“SaaS: Hosted software refers to the use of software and data that is hosted on a vendor’s servers and accessed over the Internet rather than installed on a desktop computer or an in-house server. This offers significant environmental advantages, and typically also simplifies IT administration. ”

David Deal in Greening Your IT Through Your Software Choices

Cloud Computing Stats

IDC forecasts that from 2009 through 2014• Worldwide IT product spending will grow at an

annual rate of 5.0%• Spending on Cloud Services will increase at an

annual rate of 27%, i.e., _very_ fast.• Non-Cloud IT product spending will grow at an

annual rate of 3.3%, i.e., positively, but slowly.

Source: IDC’s Public IT Cloud Services Forecast: New Numbers, Same Disruptive Story

SaaS Common Examples

• Software as a ServiceDocument Sharing - Google docs, Office Live,

ZohoCRM solutions – Salesforce, BlackbaudBackup - MozyCollaboration/Training tools – ReadyTalk,

WebEx, GoToMeeting, Unified Communication Tools

Social Networking: Facebook, Twitter, FlickrHR Tools: Performance Reviews, PayrollProject Management: Basecamp

Cloud Economics• Decreased captial costs• Usually, increased operating costs• Example 1: Preferred Hotel

Traditional: $210k server refresh and $10k/monthCloud: $10k implementation and $16k/month

• Example 2: Nevada Crisis Call Center Trimmed technology management work by

$20,000 annuallyEliminated a recurring capital expense of $15,000More reliable IT services

Benefits of Cloud Computing• Little to no upfront costs: watch out for recurring

operating costs.• No IT staff required: Ok, this might be an

oversimplification, but many applications available in the cloud require much less in-house IT support because the hosting provider takes care of installs, upgrades, backups and standard maintenance for you.

• No servers need to be researched, purchased, maintained, or recycled.

• Rapid deployment: Often, accounts can be set up in minutes. More complicated pieces of software (CRM, accounting packages, donor management software) still require more set up and probably training.

• Convenience: Staff and volunteers can access your applications from almost any Internet connection with their login information. No more setting up VPNs or systems to allow remote access to your servers.

Green Benefits• Fewer servers are built and running:

fewer toxic materials and water used to build them

fewer toxic materials are dumped less energy is consumed in the running of the

servers

• Less powerful client computers: all the processing is performed on the hosted server(s). keep your older computers longer reduces demand for new computers

Risks of Cloud Computing• Loss of connectivity: If you have a slow or unreliable

connection, cloud computing isn't right for your mission-critical needs.

• Service levels: Ensure reputable provider & provides an acceptable level of uptime & rapid response to issues.

• Regulatory compliance: If you need to be HIPAA- or PCI-compliant or conform to other regulations, make sure your service provider is certified.

• Backups: Make sure you have copies of and access to your data, especially if your service should fail.

• Security: There are a variety of concerns about storing sensitive client data in the cloud due to privacy and security standards, that include data security for phishing, spamming, and hacking concerns. The jury is still out on some of these issues, so for the time-being, we recommend caution when storing sensitive financial or personal information about your supporters and clients online.

Prize Give Away!

Name a benefit, a green benefit, and a risk of Cloud Computing

Extra credit: Why should you care?

Green Software

More info about green software: • Greening Your IT Through Your Software Choices• Comparing Online vs. Traditional Office Software • Why Should Nonprofits Care About Cloud

Computing?• GreenTech Energy Pages

Questions on Green Software?

Green Practices

• Acquiring “green” hardware and software means little if you use them in an inefficient way.

• Use IT to “green” your operations• How you use your IT Systems is just as

important as which systems you use.• Keep in mind that expecting people to

change their habits will lead to frustration. Instead set up automated solutions.

Utilizing Software to Green Operations

• Reduce: • Travel: Both for trips and commuting• Energy consumption• Paper/toner consumption• Data storage resources

Travel Reduction: Brief Case Study

• Reduce commuter and business travel

• Travel contributes to 50% of CITI’s total emissions

(even with 75% of travel done via public transit, biking, and walking!)

• Ingredients: Remote & mobile access to ICT resources - data, voice, video

• Numerous studies confirming moderate to significant positive environmental impact


Travel: Working with Distributed Teams

• Web conferencing: • GoToMeeting, WebEx, ReadyTalk

• File sharing: • Box.net, Dropbox, Jungle Disk, Google Docs,

BPOS/SharePoint

• Comprehensive hosted apps: • Zoho, Google Apps, MS BPOS+Office Web Apps

• Extranets/project collaboration: • Basecamp, SharePoint


More details at the TechSoup Travel Reduction Pages.

Travel: Video

• Peer-to-peer, small groups:• Skype • VuRoom add-on allows for group video• Quality?

• Hosted, better for groups:• WebEx (for up to 6 people)


Practices – Reduce Energy Use

• Put your systems to sleep: Climate Savers Computing and Reduce Energy Use Campaign

Unplug unused hardware, including cell phone chargers, handsets, and old computers when not needed. Or plug into powerstrips and turn them off.

How you power your electronics: Renewable sources for electricity, solar power chargers, rechargable batteries

• Explore cloud computing: Comparing Online vs. Traditional Office Software

• Larger orgs: HVAC systems, auto room lighting

Reduce Your Paper Use

Set defaults on office software, double-sided printing margins of 0.7 inches all the way aroundprint in Draft Mode

More tips at the TechSoup Paper Reduction Campaign Pages


Install GreenPrint or FinePrintFree print management software will

likely save you money by reducing the printing of unintended pages.

More info on our blog.Look for ecofont


• Provides a preview window in which you can deselect unneeded pages

• Makes the duplexing option more easily accessible


Practices – Reduce Resources

Examine data storage – consider carefully what to keep and where to keep it. (i.e., file servers/email)

Image source: http://www.chra.army.mil/Talent_Acquisition/On_Board/Onboard.htm

Key Takeaways for Green Practices: • Easy step:

• Implement desktop power management software/settings

• More involved step: • Look at ways to reduce travel through

remote and mobile access to IT and communications resources

• Next time you upgrade servers: • Replace with cloud applications, or consolidate

servers using virtualization software


Questions on Green Practices?

Prize Give Away

• Name 2 or more things you learned that you can do right now to start saving money and being greener?

• Either using software or changing practices

Part 2: Green Hardware

• Hardware that is designed to minimize the use of toxic materials and energy. Hardware is now being rated on criteria like packaging, transport and design for reuse.

• In this category are also items that allow you to eliminate hardware like hosted services.

• Computers and other electronics are the fastest-growing (and among the least recycled) components of the waste stream

• All electronics devices with circuit boards contain toxic substances

• Two million tons of used electronics discarded yearly – only 18% of TVs and PCs are recycled, 10% of cell phones

• See TechSoup GreenTech’s Hardware and Toxics Reduction pages

Electronics Waste Stats

Stats from the EPA

Shocking Stats – Law Berkeley Labs

Desktop Notebook LCD

On 73.97 (idle)

29.48 (charged)

27.61

Sleep21.13 15.77 1.38

Off2.84 8.9 1.13

•http://standby.lbl.gov/summary-table.html

Major Drop

Minor Drop

Units are in watts

Green Hardware Stats

• A new ENERGY STAR compliant PC or laptop uses 15 to 25 percent less energy on average than a standard new computer.

• EPEAT: 23 eco-friendly criteria• Refurbished: 50-70% of the lifetime energy

consumption of a computer is used before it is ever turned on.

• Thin-Clients: Energy reduction from 80-100W desktop or 20-40W laptop to 6-8W terminal

Procurement: Selecting greener hardware

• • Refurbished• Reduced Impact: Thin clients• Eliminate hardware: Hosted Services

Energy Star

• Joint program between EPA & DOE provide energy efficient products and practices

• Energy management can produce twice the savings—both the bottom line and the environment

• Caution: Program is voluntary & self-audited

• www.energystar.gov

http://earth911.com/news/2010/04/08/fake-products-receive-energy-star-certification/

Slide by Robin Billings of the EPA

It is:• a tool,• an environmental standard,• a rating system, • & a verification program

• System that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes

• www.epeat.net

Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)


Meets all 23 required

criteria plus at least 75% of the optional

criteria

Meets all 23 required

criteria plus at least 50% of the optional

criteria

Meets all 23 required criteria

EPEAT

EPEAT Criteria are known as (IEEE 1680) American National Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products




EPEAT Poll

• Please raise your hands…• Do your organizations already purchase

EPEAT rated hardware?

Buying products made from recycled materials is a key step in supporting recycling programs and resource conservation. Resources are saved only when recycled products are purchased. This is referred to as closing the loop.

Buy Recycled/Refurbished


Sources of Refurbished Computers

• Manufacturers like Dell and Apple• National refurbishers like RedemTech• Local refurbishers like

Next Step Recycling in Eugene Oregon • Nonprofits and Libraries: TechSoup.org

• Some advice: Consumer Watch: Refurbished PCs--Sweet Deals or Lemons?

TSG: Refurbished Computer Initiative17, 000 - # of product distributed (includes

desktops, notebooks, and monitors)6,050 - # of orgs servedGreen impact as a result of equipment reuse:

Enough energy saved to power 3,821 US households for an entire year

Greenhouse gas savings equivalency of removing 1,670 passenger cars off the road for a year

$2.1M – Approximate sector savings 5% - quality: issue rate rivaling that of brand new

equipment.

RCI Story: Village Northwest Unlimited, Sheldon, Iowa

“We’re just tickled to get 23 donations since last November for our computer lab and other programs like our brain injury ‘Empathy Stations’ … To me it’s a win/win: it’s green, it’s recyclable, and very useable.” – Terry Ashland, Technology Coordinator

The Village is an independent living residential center for 180 people ages 17-70 suffering from brain injuries, cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, and epilepsy.

Thin Clients

Examples:• N Computing – terminal services• PanoLogic – proprietary software• HP, Howard, Seneca - Windows MultiPoint

Server

Software that enables thin clients• Citrix XenDesktop

Hardware In the Cloud

In the Cloud:• IaaS: Infrastructure as a service• PaaS: Platform as a service• SaaS: Software as a Service

(previously discussed)

Cloud Computing

“One of the biggest opportunities for decreasing an organization’s power and equipment usage is through the use of hosted software.… This offers significant environmental advantages, and typically also simplifies IT administration. ”

David Deal in Greening Your IT Through Your Software Choices

Examples of Cloud Providers

• Google – App Engine (PaaS)• Amazon – EC2 and S3(IaaS)• Microsoft – Azure (IaaS and PaaS)

• Caution: Make IT Green: Cloud Computing and its Contribution to Climate Change

Eliminate the Need for Hardware

Hosted services:• Virtual PBX – Telecom routing• VoIP – potentially eliminate your phone• Electronic fax services like MyFax and

eFax• Green Host for Websites

Questions for Green Hosting ProvidersWhen selecting a provider, consider these items:• $$: most are comparable or better than traditional hosts • Ease of startup • Features• Reliability • How green are they? Do they buy carbon off-sets or

power their operations with their own solar panels? Do they virtualize their servers? Are they certified by anyone?

Lists of Green Web Hosts webhostinggeeks.com TreeHugger WebHostingReport.com http://twitter.com/greenwebsites

Peripherals & Printing• Smart Power Strips• Timer Power Strips• Kill-A-Watt

• Make sure to turn off unused equipment: modems, servers, telecom equipment, hotel machines, peripherals (power strip)

• Multi-Function Devices: One machine for printer, copier, fax and scanner

• Auto-Print Duplexing• Ratio of printers to

people - fewer larger devices rather than personal printers

eWaste – Keeping it Useful

• TechSoup: Extend the life of your hardware

• Planet Green: Extend Your PC's Life With A Tune-Up

• eHow: How to Extend Your Computer's Life

Plug-in to eCycling - Donating

www.epa.gov/plugin

Info on how to prepare and donate your computer for

reuse

Safe Hardware Disposal

Use manufacturers’ take back programs. http://

www.computertakeback.com/corporate/who_takes_back.htmhttp://www.electronicstakeback.com/recycling/find_a_responsible_recycler.htm

Finding Responsible Recyclers

http://search.earth911.com/?what=Computer+Recycling

http://e-stewards.org/find-a-recycler/

Prize Give Away

• Name 2 or more easy things you learned that you can do to reduce waste via hardware that doesn’t require your staff and volunteers to change their habits?

Conclusion• Going green doesn’t necessarily mean you have

to spend more money. It can often save money. • Changing the situation is easier than changing

behaviors. • Use greener software, buy greener hardware and

set up defaults to automatically stop waste rather than asking your staff to change.

• Talk with your board, staff, volunteers and/or consultants. Decide which is the best first step for your organization.

• Spread the word

More Info

Questions?

www.techsoup.org/greentech

Thank you!

More Info:Come to www.techsoup.org/greentech to

find other tips and suggestions.Anna S. Jaeger

TechSoup [email protected]

@TSGreenTech