Green Computing

   Green computing or Green IT means environmentally sustainable computing or IT. It is also defined as the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers and associated subsystems to optimize its efficiency and creating minimal or no impact towards our environment.
 

    Nowadays, in order to address the impacts of computing/IT had done to our MOTHER NATURE, many companies has adopted a holistic approach and make the entire IT lifecycle greener by addressing environmental sustainability along with the development of IT. 

The ideas or design of Green Computing has to go through the following steps:

1. Green use — reducing the energy consumption of computers and other information systems as well as using them in an environmentally friendly manner.
2. Green disposal — reusing old computers and properly recycling unwanted computers and other electronic equipment.
3. Green design — designing energy-efficient and environmentally sound components, computers, servers, cooling equipment, and data centers.
4. Green manufacturing — manufacturing electronic components, computers, and other associated subsystems with minimal impact on the environment. 

    

   Furthermore, several countries have adopted energy-management programs, such as Energy Star, an international standard for energy-efficient electronic equipment that was created in 1992. Energy Star can significantly reduces the amount of energy consumed by a product by automatically switching it into “sleep” mode or "standby" mode and thus effectively reduces the power used for the appliances of the product.

E-waste is a BIG problem!!

   Electronic waste also known as e-waste can be defined as the loosely discarded or broken computers, monitors, televisions or other electrical or electronic devices. Nowadays, e-waste is one of the fastest growing segments of the waste stream of many countries. More and more PCs and electronic appliances get replaced each year, in the end e-waste dumping is turning into a serious problem.
   Normally, e-waste is routinely exported out by developed countries to developing countries but often in violation of the international law which also means those tradings are at most illegally done. It was reported that in UK alone for 2003, there was 23000 metric tonnes of waste collected exported out to India, Ghana, Nigeria, China and Africa for the recovery job.

   

    Electronic scrap components are generally rich in toxic organic chemicals and harmful metals such as cadmium, lead and copper. Not only that the disposal of e-waste may involve significant health risk to e-waste workshop workers, if the safe recycling procedure was not followed properly, it may lead to a bigger problem which is the exposure or leaching of such materials to the people and the environment.

   E-waste recycling issue has become an emerging problem in India. In just few years, India is now a major e-waste dump yard of the world. It was reported that the uncontrolled burning, disassemble and disposal job had bring the poor to an earning but has also resulted in vary of environmental issue like water pollution and air pollution. Besides, the health effects among the workers had also been questioned. Below is a documentary relating the e-waste issues happening in India: