smartphones, printers, and other devices are responsible for a big chunk of the total enterprise technology emissions. Demand for devices increased dramatically since covid-19 and drove many of us to set up home offices. Remember too, that these devices get replaced much more frequently than servers. And of course, it’s not just the usage itself. The full supply chain, including raw material acquisition, manufacturing, packaging, and transportation are big contributors to ghg emissions.
E-waste: what happens to the millions of electronic devices produced each year? Unless recycled, they get thrown away and replaced. E-waste includes not just computers and monitors, but also cell phones, radios, and lcd and plasma tvs. Only 17% of e-waste gets recycled. The rest, often with hazardous materials such as lead, ends up in landfills. The u.s. Alone is responsible for millions of tons of e-waste each year.
Rare Earth minerals: hard drives in computers and servers use rare earth minerals. We can’t forget the environmental risks involved in their mining, refining, and disposal, or the obvious risk of their extinction. In the u.s., both the government and the environmental protection agency want to increase recycling for rare earth minerals.
How can you build sustainable it practices? Below are three steps cios and it executives can take to reduce their company’s digital carbon footprint.
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three steps to sustainable it and a reduced digital carbon america phone number list footprint
it leaders and their business counterparts have a mandate for bold climate action. Not only is it necessary for our planet, it makes good business sense. Consumers are more likely to purchase from companies that stand up for environmental and social causes.
How can it leaders carve a path to sustainable it? The three steps below can help.
1. Track carbon emissions throughout the value chain
most large companies now have sustainability goals and plans to reduce their carbon footprint. But you can’t reduce what you can’t track. So if your company doesn’t have clear sustainability goals in place yet, the place to start is tracking.
End-user devices: computers
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