How Cloud Computing positively affects the environment

How Cloud Computing positively affects the environment

Modern, forward-thinking companies tend to focus on how their activities directly and indirectly affect the environment. (This is also referred to as a company's 'carbon footprint'.) A business' carbon footprint is directly linked with the amount of greenhouse gases that they are responsible for releasing into the environment.

How are greenhouse gases created / released / further concentrated?

• Transportation
• Clearing land
• Food production and consumption
• Fuel production and consumption
• Manufactured goods
• Materials
• Wood
• Roads
• Buildings
• Other various service(s)

Many businesses out there incorporate many of the individual points on this list into their daily operations. The problem of course is that there are thousands of organizations all pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is thought to contribute greatly to global warming and pollution.

This brings us to cloud computing; specifically, how it reduces the overall amount of pollution. Let's say you have 3 companies, all 3 of these companies have and need extensive computer networks in order to function. If you take a look one company's system and network, you'll probably notice that it uses only around half of its computer resources potential. The same thing could be said for any of the other companies and their networks; they're all using a lot of energy but only running at partial capacity. All 3 of these companies could be running off of one remotely located cloud network, thereby decreasing the number of systems needed to do the same work from 3 to 1. Now, let's apply this same type of thinking to a much larger scenario. What if instead of 3 companies there were 100? Wouldn't it be more efficient and better for the environment if those companies were all operating within the same cloud network? Here are a couple of analogies that will help clarify:

• What's more efficient, 100 generators running at 10% capacity or a larger generator running at 90% capacity?
• Let's say there are 100 companies (with offices in the same building) with 100 small loads to transport from destination A to B. Instead of using 100 small trucks to deliver these goods, why not just have 1 larger truck make the entire delivery? How much fuel do you think is saved this way?

In the same way that there is a certain speed you can travel on the highway that increases overall fuel efficiency, there is a certain amount of activity that can be handled by an individual network that guarantees a more efficient use of the electricity used to power said network.

Virtualized hardware produces no pollution

The ability of cloud computing to simulate hardware and/or hardware processes means that there is no physical entity present that will actually emit pollution. Of course a naysayer might claim that the energy required to run virtual hardware on a cloud network will compensate for this; however they are not taking into account the fact that running a piece of physical hardware uses a lot more energy than its software-based counterpart. And unlike physical hardware, most virtual hardware is essentially 'turned-off' when it's not in use.

Older networking hardware can be reused in a cloud-based architecture

The amount of time and money spent upgrading by most companies is astronomical. And often times, their old hardware just sits somewhere gathering dust or it is simply tossed into the garbage. The amount of pollution produced by the groups manufacturing these servers and hardware stacks is extremely high. Why continuously produce hardware that's just going to become outdated and need replacing in a few years time? The traditional network model is extremely wasteful in this regard. However, there is an elegant solution for companies that are making the switch to a cloud-based architecture. When you take your old hardware and integrate it into a cloud architecture you are essentially recycling your hardware. This will also save your business a lot of money in the long run in addition to helping out the environment.

As more and more companies steadily increase their level of required computer networking the need for a more efficient and elegant solution will become obvious. Cloud computing is currently the best option for environment, and it's one that actually offers businesses more abilities and possibilities.