‘Green Computing’ Vague, Misleading

July 18, 2008

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The Carbon Disclosure Project says the notion of green computing is unhelpful and makes it harder for companies to implement policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, TechWorld reports.

Surveying 11 enterprises about their environmental policies, the project found that the term “green,” received heavy criticism. The report said the word was too misleading and is void of “the specific definitions needed to manage carbon and/or other greenhouse gas emissions.”

“The need to set definitions is a thorny one, as different companies offer different power ratings for servers,” according to the article. This is because there are no standards that apply across all companies or all sectors. CDP spokesman Marieke Beckmann agrees, adding that many organizations don’t have an accurate definition of carbon emissions.

Produced in conjunction with IBM, the report set out ways companies could set guidelines on how to reduce carbon emissions.

Companies can start by:
1.   Setting definitions for carbon emissions
2.   Appointing a carbon information manager
3.   Having more detailed electricity billing,
4.   Charting the departmental use of carbon
5.   Taking advantage of videoconferencing and IM
6.   Reducing business travels

The EPA plans to have its first Energy Star rating for servers ready by the end of the year.

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