What Is Sustainable IT?
From massive hardware to data that takes up a lot of space and energy – IT is not exactly environment-friendly. That’s why the industry is becoming increasingly eco-focused with sustainable practices (for example, Microsoft has pledged to become carbon negative by 2030).
But what does sustainability in IT even mean? To describe it in simple terms, it means using technology in ways that reduce harm to the environment. This can include minimizing electronic waste, cutting energy use, adopting virtualization, moving to the cloud, or using renewable sources of energy.
The goal is to meet business needs while protecting the planet for future generations.
Benefits of Sustainable IT
Cost optimization
Although adopting green practices may require some initial investment, the results are definitely worth it. A 2023 survey of 35,000 servers found that migrating to the cloud results in 30% average yearly cost savings by reducing hardware maintenance, energy consumption, and infrastructure management costs.
Boost in reputation and sales
Consumers are increasingly drawn to companies with strong sustainability commitments, influencing purchasing decisions and brand loyalty. Sustainability-focused S&P 500 companies have 18% higher ROIs, which proves how beneficial going green can be. This enhanced reputation not only attracts eco-conscious customers but also appeals to investors seeking companies with sustainable and forward-thinking practices.
Regulatory compliance
As environmental concerns are growing more and more serious, going green may soon become obligatory, not just a nice thing about your company that looks good in PR statements. Governments all over the world tighten (and will continue to do so) their environmental regulations, which is why adopting eco-friendly practices in your IT significantly reduces the risk of fines.
Fostering innovation
One nice perk of becoming more sustainable? You’re probably becoming more innovative as a byproduct, especially if the pro-green initiatives are being implemented in your IT departments. Companies adopting sustainable IT often lead in areas like renewable energy integration, efficient software development, and green hardware, which can give them an advantage in their industry – and make them quicker to embrace, or maybe even come up with, new technologies in the future.
Becoming more resilient
Sustainable IT efforts make your business much more resilient in the face of disruptions caused by climate change or finite resources. As energy prices rise and climate-related risks increase, green IT practices make sure your company can maintain operations and adapt to future challenges.
5 Steps to Making Your IT More Sustainable
1. Adopt cloud migration
Migrating your IT infrastructure to the cloud is a cornerstone of sustainable IT. Cloud providers operate large-scale, energy-efficient data centers that use advanced cooling systems and renewable energy sources, making them far greener than traditional on-premises infrastructure. In fact, according to 2024 research, cloud migration can reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 59 million tons per year.
2. Implement energy-efficient hardware
Invest in modern, energy-efficient devices and infrastructure, such as servers, laptops, and network equipment. These devices consume less power and generate less heat, reducing cooling needs. Consolidating servers through virtualization can further decrease the energy footprint, as fewer physical machines are required to handle workloads.
3. Recycle
Minimize electronic waste by extending the lifecycle of IT equipment. Refurbish and reuse devices wherever possible, and implement a recycling program for hardware that’s no longer being used. Partnering with manufacturers that offer take-back or buy-back programs can also be a good idea if you want to make sure your company disposes of materials responsibly – like Dell or HP.
4. Switch to renewable energy sources (or virtualization)
Turning to renewable energy resources, like solar, wind, or hydropower, can definitely put your company on the path to a reduced carbon footprint. Since they emit a lot less (or none at all) greenhouse gas and can be found in nature, they provide a clean alternative for powering IT infrastructure.
Another good idea to cut down on your energy? Server virtualization. It’s when you create multiple virtual instances (or “virtual machines”) on a physical server, allowing one physical server to run several isolated operating systems and applications simultaneously. This saves up space, money, and… energy, as virtual infrastructure can reduce energy costs by approximately 80%.
5. Design energy-efficient software
One more step in your sustainability strategy? Go for energy efficiency with your software to make it consume fewer computing resources, leading to reduced energy usage. This can be achieved by encouraging developers to optimize code and adopt lightweight programming practices. Implement serverless architectures and containers, which improve resource utilization and reduce the environmental impact of running applications.
From Greener IT to a More Sustainable Future
Sustainability initiatives in the IT industry are only gaining traction – the faster you adopt them, the better. By adopting practices like cloud migration, energy-efficient hardware, and renewable energy sources, you can majorly reduce your environmental impact while cutting down on some costs and enhancing your reputation in the process. This is an important contribution to not only the health of our planet but also your company’s success in the eco-conscious business landscape.
