Do you remember when we had a scare of the world ending in 2012? Well, it’s been 12 years since but that fear is not gone yet. Sure the world didn’t collapse at once, but slowly our world is becoming unlivable because of our actions. Global Warming is at an all-time high and it’s eventually going to make it very difficult to survive. However, if we take active action now, we might be able to reverse the impacts.
While the environment is slowly deteriorating, a saving grace is that we have advanced technologically. This technological advancement has given us a chance to reduce our carbon footprints and one of the most promising ways to do so is through cloud computing!
So if you care about the environment, stay and read because we’re here to talk about how you can reduce your carbon footprint using Cloud Computing!
How Cloud Technology Can Help Reduce Carbon Footprint in 2024
Believe it or not, it is a fact that Cloud Computing is one of the best ways to contribute to a greener future and still keep on innovating and inventing. It is one of the best ways we can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, before we delve into the environmental impact of using Cloud Computing, we must understand what Cloud Computing is!
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing encompasses any and every computing service available on the internet. The internet is often referred to as a digital Cloud given that it’s a virtual space that doesn’t take up physical space. So any computational activity on this Digital Cloud is Cloud Computing. The services within Cloud Computing include software, storage, database, analytics, intelligence, networking, and a lot more.
Now that we precisely know what Cloud Computing entails. Let’s get into how it can make our footprints greener!
Energy Efficiency
Traditionally, big companies would have their own IT infrastructures which would maintain their data. While this was the way to go back in the day, this system would consume a lot of energy. Their utility rates were quite low and it simply did not justify the amount of energy it consumed.
Cloud Computing Systems eliminated the need for this entirely. These systems instead started Centralising these resources in large-scale data centers. So imagine every data packet going into a big recourse library instead of a cubicle of its own. Where the energy consumption is a lot less and the utility justifies the energy.
If we had to explain it simply, imagine if only one worker has a whole office and for one worker, the rent of a whole office has to be paid. Instead when we place this worker in a big office with other workers like him, we only have to pay a part of the rent which we share with other companies. Sounds like a better bargain right?
This reduced consumption of energy helps greatly in reducing Carbon footprints. Cloud Databases like Google Drive, DropBox, and Microsoft OneDrive can pool resources and maximize utility rates. Therefore reducing energy consumption compared to the cumulative energy use of various smaller and less efficient data centers.
Renewable Energy
In our time in this world, we have constantly heard the news and read about how our non-renewable energy sources are not replenishable, making them precious. However, we have also discovered several avenues of renewable energy like Solar Energy, Wind energy, and energy from water Currents.
Many of the Cloud Computing Tycoons have committed to utilizing renewable energy. Companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple have pledged to use 100% renewable energy to power their data centers. These companies are also investing in large-scale renewable energy projects.
So when we subscribe to using these Cloud Computing services, we are not only choosing the best for us, we are indirectly contributing to cleaner energy consumption, thus improving our carbon footprint!
Advanced Cooling Systems
Data Centres Generate a substantial amount of heat, which consequently requires robust cooling systems to ensure no damage occurs. While having personal IT infrastructures can be very troublesome in such situations, Big Cloud Computing services invest heavily and efficient cooling Systems.
These advanced Cooling Systems consume less energy and do not ruin the ozone layer the way other cooling systems do. Especially Liquid Cooling systems and AI-Driven Cooling Systems are very favored by these companies. The Liquid Cooling Systems do not release hot air into the environment and decrease the production of greenhouse gases. And AI-Driven Cooling Systems optimize energy use in real-time, minimizing expenditure.
Implementation of these services greatly lowers the overall carbon footprint of Computing Operators.
Remote Work
Cloud Computing Systems has allowed us to adopt to a hybrid and remote mode of work. While we gain a lot of personal privileges by working from the comfort of our own homes, we are also indirectly contributing to decreasing Carbon footprints.
Working from home equates to staying at home, which means we are not required to travel a great distance for work. Which consequently means we are saving a lot of fossil fuels, gases, and energy. It also means that we are decreasing Carbon Dioxide emissions from our end. Imagine millions of people working from home, resulting in several tons of Carbon emissions being eliminated.
Furthermore, the office spaces are not using any electricity, reducing not just the bills, but also a lot of the energy consumption.
Digitization of Paperwork
Cloud Computing Technology allows us to do a lot of our paperwork digitally, even store them in highly secure storage spaces. This makes the usage of paper redundant. As a consequence, this contributes to less production of paper, meaning a lot more trees are saved each year.
These trees affect the environment greatly by producing oxygen. Therefore restoring the earth’s atmosphere to ideal rates. Making paper redundant is one of the best ways we can restore the earth’s environment. The trees are called Earth’s lungs and in our effort to go paperless, we facilitate and encourage the growth of greenery around us! Not to mention that decreased paper production also decreases associated factory time, transportation, and more, therefore also affecting energy consumption and fossil fuel consumption.
How To Do Our Bit With Cloud Computing?
While Cloud Computing stands as the undisputed alternative for a greener and better earth, it does not mean that Cloud Computing Systems do not emit carbon footprints. In our usage of Cloud Computing Systems, we must be mindful of our usage and do our bit to minimize Carbon footprints even more.
For starters, the simple act of deleting your emails goes a long way! Emails are the biggest consumers of storage in Cloud Computing Systems. So deleting all the spam, junk, unnecessary, and old emails is a great way to free up space and keep storage cool. Furthermore, choosing the greenest systems is your own way of supporting the environment!
Conclusion
In this day and age, it is crucial for business owners and individuals alike to be conscious about the environment we are living in. Consequently, it’s very important to be aware of the choices we are making, especially in the IT sector.
Cloud Computing Systems provide us the opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint significantly, additionally, it helps us to operate in a flexible and scalable manner. While it is a win-win situation, we must be mindful and embrace the technologies available to us. So, let’s strive for a bett
er and greener future for ourselves and our environment!
