Green IT for Dummies®

Chapter 14. Moving to Green Screens and Computing Machines

In This Chapter

• Pursuing greener computer purchasing policies

• Becoming energy efficient

• Finding a green desktop machine and monitor

These days every office worker has a computer monitor on his fixed desk, sometimes more than one. Those monitors and the computers they're connected to were once thought of as tools to enhance productivity. Today they're simply essential for workers to function at all. But these glowing lumps of encrusted silicon tie up corporate capital and consume significant amounts of energy. Computing technology keeps improving at a rapid pace and workers demand the latest gear, creating a constant flow of obsolete equipment that can clog landfills and create other environmental problems.

In this chapter, we give you tips for evaluating your purchasing policies and whether to extend the life of what you have or to buy new machines. If you need new desktop computers, take a closer look at how standards, which we introduce in Chapter 4, apply specifically to desktop computers. This chapter wraps up with tips and resources to help you compare green attributes of computers quickly and easily.

Note

Developing wise, green policies for purchasing, using, and disposing of desktop computers can reduce your organization's environmental footprint while potentially saving money in the process.

Computer Purchasing Policies

Organizations differ in how they decide which office computing equipment to buy and when to buy it. Many ...