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= = =ARTICLE= = = =Business & technology.(e-commerce websites).=

[|Computer Weekly] 208 (Feb 17, 2009)(491 words)


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COPYRIGHT 2009 Reed Business Information Ltd. E-commerce sites generally do not need to have any shop fronts in the real world and they are generally more tech-savvy than traditional businesses. As such, you would expect internet-based businesses to be green. But because they rely on power-hungry servers, routers and storage arrays running 24/7, they are increasingly coming under scrutiny over their green credentials. The papers were buzzing a few weeks ago when someone calculated that two searches on Google is equivalent to boiling a kettle to make a cup of tea, although Google quickly rubbished the claims as far too high. The negative image of the previously clean web industries show internet and e-commerce sites must work on their green credentials. In the Think Ecological survey of 275 business professionals - sponsored by the Business Performance Management Forum, Rackable Systems and Intel - 97% say it is important for internet and e-commerce related businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. Yet the report has found that only a small percentage of budgets are allocated towards green IT. Of internet and e-commerce businesses, 83% spend 10% or less of their budget on purchasing and implementing environmental IT. This weighting towards the bottom end of the budget could signal one of two things: either companies do not see green IT as a discreet line item or they are not funnelling substantial resources towards the problem. In spite of this, reducing power and cooling costs (79%) and satisfying social responsibility commitments (78%) were by far the top potential benefits of improved ecological practice, followed by positive publicity (60%). Virtualisation Companies are keen to use virtualisation, and server and equipment consolidation to reduce the carbon footprint in their datacentres. The study showed that the top ecological plans for the next year mainly involve reducing printed documents (64%), virtualisation (47%), consolidation (45%), and server efficiency (39%). Times Warner is one company that has used virtualisation to cut the number of servers in the business. In the report, Simon Tsiu, IT director at Times Warner in Hong Kong, says, "For IT, one of the most significant things we have done is server virtualisation to save power and electricity. Through virtualisation, we have saved about 100 servers since 2001. We have also extended PC life cycles from three years to four years in an attempt to save equipment. "Now we have an agreement with a partner to refurbish or recycle parts of used equipment. We have also implemented a tapeless backup system to reduce the number of physical tapes we actually use." Thanks to developments in chip and server design, new hardware is often far more energy efficient than the older machines it replaces. One new server box can often do the job of several older machines, and thanks to breakthroughs in server virtualisation, servers can run multiple applications simultaneously. With server virtualisation, businesses can consolidate the servers in their datacentres, which reduces cost and lowers carbon emissions. It looks like a win-win for e-commerce. Source Citation "Business & technology." //Computer Weekly// 208 (2009). //General OneFile//. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. 

My article is called E-business Technologies (E-Commerce Websites) with a focus on the environment. The article focuses in on computers, technology and how they are connected to and affect the environment. The article poses the question of if the internet has no real world presence is it more green or less green as opposed to a company with a physical presence? “This article states that because these internet based technology companies rely on power-hungry servers, routers and storage arrays running 24/7, they are increasingly coming under scrutiny over their green credentials.”Internet based companies /websites are beginning to get a negative image. The article refers to a study/ calculation that every 2 Google searches were the equivalent of boiling a kettle. Since this study showed people a more “real life” example of how these technology based companies are still effecting the environment negatively. So what is the solution to this issue? Companies are keen to use virtualisation, and server and equipment consolidation reducing the number of printed documents and server efficiency to reduce the carbon footprint in their datacentres. Server virtualization is the key solution in this industry that will lead companies to being more energy efficient. Another important factor that will also make a great difference in this issue would be companies replacing old equipment and harder and implementing new far more efficient technologies. Thanks to developments in chip and server design, new hardware is often far more energy efficient than the older machines it replaces. One new server box can often do the job of several older machines, and thanks to breakthroughs in server virtualisation, servers can run multiple applications simultaneously. It is evident that environmental damage is a growing concern and although information based companies are an industry which seemingly doesn’t have a great impact on the environment we are only recently finding out how much of a issue it really is. People are concerned and are aware of the carbon footprint and successful companies are aware of these factors and want to make it known that they are a information technology internet based environmentally =  = =   DISCUSSION=

What is the relationship between the Information Technology Industry and the environment?

I think that it is great the industry already uses different means of communication as oppose to traditional methods of paper. However I still think there is always room for improvement and this could include more efficient uses of power. By reducing the amount of energy needed to power their sources then essential resources can be decreased. This includes creating greater productivity while helping reduce the impact on the environment. -nataliawawrzyniak

Technology companies are having to focus more on the disposal of their obsolete technology more than they had in the past. Companies like Hewlett-Packard advertise that they have disposal programs for their old computers and printers. Advertising this fact gives them competitive advantage over other technology companies that are not as focused on improving the environment. Consumers are more willing to purchase HP products because they can be recycled at the end of their product life cycle.user:samanthahoughton

Why is this relationship significant?

Has to be significant; people are currently working on creating a "eco-basis GO GREEN" system; if developers don't plan the environmental status, they can burn in today's modern market. Just two months ago, Apple announced their "less-emissions/more Green policy"; how much is actually true and bull, that's a completely different account. Currently, marketing GREEN eco system is the primary method of making money (Pretty Blunt but true!)

user:hindawir