Feature Article LOKESH KUMAR PANDA, SHARADA PRASAD SAHOO, DEVADATTA PRADHAN & R.B. PANDA

The mushrooming growth of IT industries worldwide is slowly poisoning the environment. The need of the hour is for both governments and the corporate world to join hands to usher in more green computing solutions.

REEN computing is the art of utilizing computing reasons and find the solution of this indirect adverse effect resources in an efficient and eco-friendly manner. on environment. In recent years, this practice has drawn serious attention both from environmental organizations Regulations & Industry Initiatives andG the corporate world. In the current trend, “going green” Government: becomes an agenda for the IT industries in terms of public Different governmental agencies have implemented relations and reduced costs. Green computing focuses on standards and regulations that encourage green computing. the triple bottom line of economic viability, social Some of the acts and regulations are: responsibility, and environmental impact. It differs from i. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy traditional business practices that focus mainly on economic Star Programme”, which was launched in 1992, was revised viability of a computing solution. in October 2006 to include stricter efficiency requirements Green computing is one of the latest fads in the digital for computer equipment, and a tiered ranking system for domain. Often, it’s dressed up as corporate responsibility approved products. and used as a marketing tool. Corporate computer-users Climate Saver may talk about reducing their “carbon-footprints” to slow global warming, but what they really mean is finding a way to slash their electricity bills.

Origin The term “Green Computing” came into existence after the “Energy Star Programme” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the year 1992. It was a voluntary labeling program, designed to promote energy-efficiency in hardware of all kinds. A similar program was also conducted in Europe and Asia later on. The manufacturing industries contribute directly to pollution, where as the IT industries have a hidden impact on environmental pollution caused by unconscious consumption of power (electricity) and inefficient use of hardware devices. Hence, the supreme motto of green computing is to explore the SCIENCE REPORTER, June 2010 31 Feature Article ii. The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees certifies personal computers, monitors and other office equipments to meet the ergonomics, energy, usage, emissions and hazardous substances requirements. iii. In 2003, the California State Senate enacted the Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Recycling Act, which establishes a statewide recycling program for obsolete computer and consumer Recycling electronic equipment.

Industry: computers i. The Green Electronics Council offers the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) to assist facilitates in the purchase of “green” computing systems. The council evaluates computing equipment on 28 criteria that measure a product’s efficiency and sustainability attributes. e-waste ii. In May 2007, IBM launched project Big Green, a 1-billion USD per-year effort to design and promote energy efficiency management in corporate data centers. iii. In 2007, Inc. and Intel Corporation officially launched the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, with the goal being to reduce the electric power consumption of PCs in active and inactive states.

Approaches to Green Computing Several methods can be adopted in order to reduce the environmental impact of a computing system.  Power Generation: Every physical attribute of a computing system requires electrical power to operate. In this context, Green Computing aims at usage of power from eco-friendly and low impact sources like windmills and hydroelectric mills, solar power and power produced by design limits the computational performance in terms of nuclear power pants. computer gaming and video production. Nowadays, LCD monitors are also being replaced by Light Emitting Diodes  Virtualizaton: Virtualization is the process of making or LEDs that reduce the amount of electricity used for the two or more computer systems to run on one set of physical display. Desktop computer power supplies (PSUs) are hardware in order to reduce power and cooling consumption. generally about 70-75% efficient; to produce 75 W of DC Several commercial companies and open-source projects output they require 100W of AC input and dissipate the now offer packages to enable a transition to virtual remaining 25W as heat. An industry initiative called 80 PLUS computing. certifies PSUs that are at last 80% efficient. Over the last fifteen years computers have been playing  Power Management: Power management suggests a vital role both in administrative and academic spheres. directly controlling the power saving aspects of the Computers and other hardware devices, when in use, hardware. To become more energy conscious, the Advanced produce heat and this heat must be compensated by Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) provides a incorporating cooling conditions for safety of the devices. standard programming interface, which allows the hardware This implies that more heat generation will cost more devices to be automatically turned-off after set periods of cooling consumption, adding to computer operating cost. inactivity. There is also certain software package that allows For instance, when a 150W computer is left to operate for the user to manually adjust the voltages supplied to the one year, it consumes an energy equivalent to 1000 pound CPU, essentially reducing the amount of electricity used by pile of coal or over 100 gallons of oil, which costs around the CPU while it’s on and powered. Some CPUs from Intel 130$ or more. This also requires an additional cost for and AMD use the technology called “speed step” which cooling consumption. Since cooling consumption automatically adjusts the processor voltages depending on mechanisms like air conditioners (ACs) or cooler fans the workload. In 2007, Intel Corporation released a utility contribute directly to environmental pollution, worldwide called power TOP, which measures and reports on a PC’s consideration for minimizing computer-operating cost power consumption. This utility is available only for PCs should be taken care of. running a .  Materials Recycling: Recycling old computers has the  Newer Hardware: In 2007, computer vendors like benefit of keeping defunct systems and the harmful materials Everex, , Systemax and dedicated low power contained within, such as lead, mercury, hexavalent thin client PCs. The purpose of designing such systems is to chromium, etc. It also facilitates e-waste management. reduce power consumption by decreasing the volume and According to a report, 80% of the post consumer e-waste size of the peripherals and low-voltage components. This collected for recycling is shipped to countries such as China, 32 SCIENCE REPORTER, June 2010  For “computer servers” which must be on to serve network functions, explore ways to turn servers off at night.  If monitors are not needed for “servers” to operate, keep monitors off. If server monitor is needed during the day, at least turn off at night and weekends.

Other Green Computing Practices Some other green computing practices include: a) Reducing Paper Waste b) Reusing and Recycling of Hardware Devices c) Purchasing Recommendations d) VIA Technology i. Carbon Free Computing ii. Solar Computing iii. Lead-free and RoHS Computing

Reducing Paper Waste: Computer use has vastly increased paper consumption and paper waste. Here are some suggestions for reducing waste:  Print as little as possible. Review and modify documents on the screen and use print preview. Minimize the number of hard copies and paper drafts you make. Instead of printing, save information to disks.  Recycle waste paper. India and Pakistan where the electronic devices are manually  Save E-mail whenever possible and avoid needless broken apart and shifted to collect precious metals, such as printing of E-mail messages. copper and gold.  Use E-mail instead of faxes or send faxes directly from your computer to eliminate the need for a hard Energy Efficient Computing copy. Energy efficient computing is the practice of using  On larger documents, use smaller font sizes to save computing devices, with concerns for energy saving and paper. productive utilization. Some such computing  When documents are printed or copied, use double- methodologies are: sided printing and copying. If possible, use the multiple  Turn off your computer and/or peripheral when they pages per sheet option on printer properties. are not in use. Turning on and off will not harm the  When general information-type documents must be equipment. shared within an office, try circulating them instead of  Don’t run computers continuously unless they are in making an individual copy for each person. This can also be use continuously. done easily by E-mail.  Look for ways to reduce the amount of time your computer is on without adversely affecting your Reusing and Recycling of Hardware Devices: This is one of productivity. the most important aspects of Green Computing that  Unless you require immediate access to E-mail or other revolves around e-waste management. It involves making services, break the habit of turning on all your unused and old hardware devices or computing resources computer equipment as soon as you enter the office each reusable through the process of recycling, for example, day. inkjet cartridges, batteries, and diskettes can be recycled for  If practical, informally group your computer activities further use. Several institutional initiatives are being taken and try to do then during one or two parts of the day, leaving in this regard. the computers off at other times.  Avoid using the switch on a power strip to turn on all Purchasing Recommendations: Environmentally your equipment. responsible computer use implies not buying new  If you use a laser printer, don’t turn your printer on equipments unless there is a demonstrated need. Here are until you are ready to print. some suggestions:  Turn off your entire computer system or at least your Buy only “Energy Star” computers, monitors and monitor and printer when you go for lunch or will be out of printers. Flat panel monitors use about half of the electricity office for a meeting or an errand. of a CRT (Cathode-Ray-Tube) display. SCIENCE REPORTER, June 2010 33 Feature Article Thin monitors to save energy

Recycling old computers has the benefit of keeping defunct systems and the harmful materials contained within, such as lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, etc.

Buy a monitor only as larger as you really need. A 17- Green computing is one of the latest fads in the digital inch CRT monitor uses 30% more energy than a 15-inch one domain. Often, it’s dressed up as corporate when each is in an active mode. Buy inkjet printers, not Laser printers. These use 80%- responsibility and used as a marketing tool. 90% less energy than laser printers and print quality can be excellent. iii. Lead-Free & RoHS Computing: In February 2003, the Once they are available, consider buying “Green European Union adopted the Restriction of Hazardous Computers”. Substances Directive (RoHS). The legislation restricts the Buy non-petroleum based ink. These printer inks are use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various made from renewable resources, require fewer hazardous types of electronic and electrical equipment. VIA solvents, which translates to fewer air emissions, an in many implemented a set of internal regulations in order to develop cases produce brighter, cleaner colours. products that are compliant with these accepted policies, including the use of nonhazardous materials in its VIA Technology: VIA Technologies incorporates the production of chipsets, processors, and companion chips. In 2001, they focused on lead-free manufacturing, philosophy of power efficiency throughout the design and introducing the Enhanced Ball Grid Array (EBGA) package manufacturing process of its products. It includes: for power efficient VIA processors and the Heat Sink Ball i. Carbon Free Computing: It aims at reducing “Carbon Grid Array (HSBGA) package for their chipsets. In traditional Footprints” of users. Carbon Footprint refers to the amount manufacturing processes, lead is used to attach the silicon of green house gases produced measured in units of carbon core to the inside of the package and to facilitate integration dioxide (CO ). An increase in the greenhouse gases leads to 2 onto the motherboard through tiny solder balls on the severe floods, droughts and rising sea level, affecting both underside of the package. VIA’s lead-free manufacturing life and the world’s economy. So VIA aims to offer the technologies do not require a lead bead, and the solder balls world’s first PC products certified carbon free, taking now consist of a tin, silver, and copper composite. responsibility for the amounts of CO2 they emit. ii. Solar Computing: Amid the international race towards It is clear that the mushrooming growth of IT industries alternative-energy sources, VIA is setting its eyes on the worldwide is slowly poisoning the environment. This grave sun, and the company’s Solar Computing initiative is a threat requires immediate attention. Societies need to significant part of its green-computing projects. For that become more energy conscious. The need of the hour is for purpose, VIA partnered with Motech Industries, one of the both governments and the corporate world to join hands to largest producers of solar cells worldwide. A solar cell fit usher in more green computing solutions to be able to build VIA’s power-efficient silicon, platform, and system a green-globe. technologies and enable the company to develop fully solar- powered devices that are nonpolluting, silent, and highly Mr Lokesh Kumar Panda is a research scholar with the Department of reliable. Solar cells require very little maintenance Environmental Science, F.M. University, Balasore-19, Orissa; Email: throughout their lifetime, and once initial installation costs [email protected] are covered, they provide energy at virtually no cost. Mr Sharada Prasad Sahoo is a 3rd semester student of MBA, F.M. University, Worldwide production of solar cells has increased rapidly Balasore-19; Email: [email protected] over the last few years; and as more governments begin to Dr. Devadatta Pradhan is a Sr. Science teacher, Govt. Girls High School, recognize the benefits of solar power, and the development Bhuban, Orissa. Email: [email protected] of photovoltaic technologies goes on, costs are expected to Dr. R.B. Panda is Reader in Environmental Sciences, F.M.University, Balasore- continue to decline. 19; Email: [email protected] 34 SCIENCE REPORTER, June 2010