Is it possible for software companies to develop eco-friendly practices? Can software ever be green?
Sustainability or eco-friendliness stands on a foundation of three pillars—economy, society, and ecology. Software companies have to consider all the possible effects of their products on the economy, society, and environment before developing truly green software.
Also, they must consider the software’s complete life cycle, right from the stage of planning it through its distribution, installation and use and finally its disposal. That means software companies have to keep a lot in mind to develop green software. It may be impossible for them to contribute 100% to sustainability, but they can do a lot to minimize the negative impacts of their production procedures.
Steps Software Companies Take to Become Eco-friendly
Companies, governments, individuals, industries, and communities have all understood the importance of going green. We all want to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to minimizing the harm caused by greenhouse emissions, pollution, and others. Software companies are also implementing eco-friendly practices, and we have already started to see the positive effects of this.
Software companies are continuously thinking of new ways to protect the environment. A green revolution has started, and here are a few ways in which technology and software companies are trying to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Eco-friendly Ways of Manufacturing Products
Giant software companies have revolutionized their manufacturing procedures. For example, Apple and Google have both implemented greener procedures, drastically cutting down their use of harmful material. This has gone a long way in reducing the strain on our planet. Also, it has inspired software start-ups to implement similar eco-friendly practices in their production units.
Start-ups, small companies, as well as large companies are doing everything in their power to create a greener future. They have adopted several measures to reduce their carbon footprint and to cut down the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans.
They are doing this in a variety of ways. For example, some of them are using renewable sources of energy such as solar energy while others are using three-dimensional printing procedures to cut down energy use and waste production.
Remote Work to Go Green
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught humankind a very important lesson, and that is, working from home is not only convenient but also cost-effective and kinder to the environment. By simply allowing their professionals to work from home, companies can cut down operational costs. Remote work reduces carbon emissions as employees no longer have to drive or take public transport for work.
When more employees work from home, software companies can operate from virtual offices or smaller land-based offices, thereby saving a lot of energy required to run a huge headquarters.
Moreover, technological developments such as VPNs, remote desktop connections, 3G, AR/VR, and others have made it easier for employees to work from home without missing the workplace environment. It also enables employers to employ professionals from remote locations.
Technology also allows employees to collaborate easily and seamlessly with one another. They no longer have to sit in the same land-based office. Instead, video software solutions such as Zoom and Skype can help employees meet and interact in virtual spaces. Web-based tools such as Slack and Trello help small software companies to operate from remote locations.
In the future, virtual reality (VR) technology can be used to create effective remote work solutions. Software companies such as vSpatial, which offers immersive virtual workspaces, will have a great role to play in this eco-friendly development.
Use of Cloud-based Technologies
Most software companies used energy-guzzling servers to store their data a decade ago. Today, more of them are now saving energy, expenses, and space by using cloud-based technologies. When they save data in the cloud, companies no longer have to manage a server that continuously requires energy.
Cloud-based storage software such as Acronis, Google Drive, DropBox, and others have greatly minimized the harm caused by human activities to the environment. Today, we have virtual servers that help companies save a lot on energy.
Cloud technology is not only eco-friendly but also allows individuals and companies to quickly and safely access data from any location, whenever necessary. It also makes remote work, which is another go-green practice, easier.
Green Infrastructure
Software companies cannot have all their employees working from home. Some professionals have to be physically present in the land-based office.
But this doesn’t mean that they don’t have to follow eco-friendly practices. Software companies, including start-ups, are going in for eco-friendly offices that let in as much natural light as possible to eliminate the need for electric lighting.
Also, they are using eco-friendly material to build the offices, material that provides natural insulation and eliminates the need to adjust the thermostat all the time, thereby saving a lot of energy.
Major Software Companies Go Green – Examples of Apple and Microsoft
Today, a number of software companies, start-ups as well as giants, are taking definite steps towards sustainability. They are implementing effective and inexpensive ways to implement green practices.
The latest developments in technology are actually helping software companies to reduce their carbon footprint and relieve the suffering of the planet. Even the smallest change has gone a long way in making a difference.
Let us have a look at the eco-friendly practices of Apple and Microsoft, two of the biggest software companies in the industry.
Apple operates completely on renewable energy. The company designs its products, including the way it packages those products, such that their impact on the environment is minimal. The company’s average energy use has reduced by 70% in the last decade, and its product assembly sites have received zero-waste certification. By collaborating with its suppliers, the company has reduced greenhouse emissions by over 466,000 metric tons.
Microsoft has declared that 70% of its data centres will migrate to renewable energy sources by 2023. The company’s aim is to become carbon negative by 2030 and to eliminate its previous carbon emissions by 2050.
Also, it charges a fee of $15 for every metric ton of carbon emissions to each of its departments to urge them to adopt eco-friendly ways. The funds thus collected are used to launch greener initiatives. Also, the company uses reused and recycled material as much as possible.
Conclusion
Software companies have already understood the multiple benefits of implementing eco-friendly practices. By doing so, they get more support from investors and consumers, boost their revenue, and increase profits for their shareholders.
When they eliminate the harmful impact of their products on the environment, they are working for social welfare. Thus, software companies are benefiting from the green revolution.