1 / 10

Embracing Green Practices for Corporate Sustainability: A Guide for Businesses

As consumer awareness of environmental issues rises, businesses must adopt sustainable practices to thrive. While the transition to greener practices can seem daunting due to initial costs, small investments can yield significant long-term benefits, such as energy savings, reduced ecological impact, and enhanced customer loyalty. This guide outlines essential steps, including green computing strategies, efficient resource use, and proper recycling methods. By prioritizing sustainability, corporations can not only save money but also contribute positively to the planet and society.

phuong
Download Presentation

Embracing Green Practices for Corporate Sustainability: A Guide for Businesses

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Corporate Sustainability & Green Practices Morgan Midgett Kishore Jayakumar Susan Hannes Daniel In Pavan Yalamanchili

  2. Introduction • As consumers are becoming more environmentally aware and energy costs are rising, businesses have to adapt environmentally-friendly practices to keep up with the changing times • Many business owners are afraid of the costs of switching to greener practices; however, small investments can reap large gains. Green practices can save money while keeping customers happy and helping the planet

  3. Definition and Examples • Green computing is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. • According to Wikipedia, there are 4 steps to green computing: • Green use — reducing the energy consumption of computers and other information systems as well as using them in an environmentally sound manner • Green disposal — refurbishing and reusing old computers and properly recycling unwanted computers and other electronic equipment • Green design — designing energy-efficient and environmentally sound components, computers, servers, cooling equipment, and data centers • Green manufacturing — manufacturing electronic components, computers, and other associated subsystems with minimal impact on the environment

  4. Examples Continued • turning off computers when not in use, or at least putting them in "sleep mode" • using energy efficient monitors and cooling systems • using firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spyware to reduce amount of eWaste • properly recycling old computers and unwanted computer equipment • printing on both sides of the paper

  5. Background Information • In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched Energy Star, a voluntary label awarded to computing products that succeed in minimizing use of energy while maximizing efficiency • Resulted in the widespread adoption of sleep mode among consumer electronics • The Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification is an open standard for unified operating system-centric device configuration and power management. ACPI, first released in December 1996, defines platform-independent interfaces for hardware discovery, configuration, power management and monitoring. • Working, Sleep, Stand by, hibernate, shut down

  6. Using Sleep Mode • The EPA has estimated that providing computers with “sleep mode” reduces their energy use by 60 to 70 percent – and ultimately could save enough electricity each year to power Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, cut electric bills by $2 billion, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of 5 million cars.

  7. Why? • Businesses want to save money by conserving energy and materials • Due growing awareness and concern about global warming/climate change, there has been a societal shift towards more environmentally-sustainable practices, and in order to keep consumer support, businesses must adapt greener practices

  8. Positive Aspects and Benefits • Reduces ecological footprint • Uses less energy • Reduces carbon emissions • Reuses and recycles materials (computer parts, paper/office supplies) • Educates people and raises awareness about eco-friendly practices • Energy-efficient building design • Saves businesses money • Uses less energy • Purchase less materials • Use less paper

  9. Challenges • Sometimes, adapting to green practices may cost more money in the short-term • But it will save in the long-term • Businesses may be unwilling to change practices out of habit • People’s laziness and forgetfulness (turning off monitors, recycling) • General apathy about environment • Lack of awareness about environment

  10. Opinion • It is a corporation’s responsibility to employ green practices when it comes to computing. • Even if there are financial costs in the short-term, the long-term environmental benefits outweigh them • Long-term economic impact • Resources will be gone if there is not enough conservation • The tragedy of the commons refers to a dilemma described in an influential article by that name written by Garrett Hardin and first published in the journal Science in 1968.The article describes a situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently, and solely and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this to happen.

More Related