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Green information technology, or Green IT, brings environmental thinking to the world of information technology. EPA encourages you to consider how the environment may be affected by your IT-related decisions. Find out what types of IT products are made using environmentally-friendly processes. Learn how to make the IT you have more energy efficient. Discover how to recycle your old IT equipment. By embracing EPA's environmentally-friendly programs for information technology, you can:
- reduce unnecessary energy use and your carbon footprint while saving money;
- select technologies that are environmentally preferable, and
- recycle your unwanted equipment to conserve natural resources.
The following are the overarching areas of Green IT:
Designing Green IT
The Design for the Environment program has engaged with leaders in the electronics industry to explore current practices and potentially safer alternatives in various areas. EPA works in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders to inform substitution to safer chemicals in such areas as:
Buying Green IT
ENERGY STAR is a joint program of EPA and the Department of Energy to help us save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. We offer solutions by adding the trustworthy ENERGY STAR label on over 50 product categories for the home and office, including information technology:
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) can help green vendors, businesses large and small -- and consumers, to find and evaluate information about green products and services such as electronics and calculate the costs and benefits of their choices.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is an easy-to-use, on-line tool helping institutional purchasers select and compare computer desktops, laptops and monitors based on their environmental attributes.
EPEAT
is managed by the Green Electronics Council and was developed through a grant. The Council's Web site provides guidance for purchasers and manufacturers and hosts the database of EPEAT-registered products. EPEAT-registered computer desktops, laptops, and monitors must meet an environmental performance standard for electronic products
Using Green IT
EPA is undertaking a number of initiatives to enable end users to green their IT use, from desktop to data center. These initiatives will provide valuable tools to data center operators as they improve the energy efficiency of their facilities.
Learn how to enable your personal computer's or your enterprise computer's power management mode with ENERGY STAR and save $25-$75 per computer per year;
Work with EPA and IT industry stakeholders to finalize the specification for ENERGY STAR qualified enterprise servers;
Collaborate on the development of an energy performance rating system for data center infrastructure through involvement in the National Data Center Energy Efficiency Information Program
The Department of Energy's Save Energy Now program is working with U.S. computer data centers to reduce their energy consumption.
EPA's Green Power Partnership offers one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the environmental impacts associated with your organization's conventional electricity use. By partnering with EPA, you can also receive technical support in identifying green power products that meet your organization's needs and goals.
Reusing, Recycling, and Disposing
EPA's eCycling Resources gives background information on the importance of recycling unwanted electronics, including computer equipment, and describes the regulations for handling electronics waste.
Find recycling programs and opportunities available in your community for donating and recycling your old computer and other electronic products
Plug-In to eCycling is a partnership program between EPA and consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, and service providers offers opportunities to donate and recycle used electronics, cell phones, and computer equipment.
Guidelines for Materials Management are EPA's voluntary guidelines for safe electronics recycling.