Data Center Greenwashing? Time Will Tell If It Was Time Well Spent
Every year around Earth Day, countless individuals and organizations look to make some type of contribution to the greener good of our planet. Many companies are making environmentally friendly gestures like donating a tree, organizing a quick promotion or offering a gift to a worthy cause. These are all great ways to commemorate the holiday, but it seems a lot of folks going down this route are simply buying into the holiday hype for a one-night stand with Mother Nature. With environmental concern at an all time high around the globe, now is the perfect time to reassess outdated practices and consider a more long-term commitment to environmental efficiency before it's too late.
In the technology industry especially, we're seeing unprecedented growth as innovation thrives and data demands continue to rise exponentially. Data centers have been generating an expanding carbon footprint and, as a result, raising significant concern within the industry and watchful government entities about their overall environmental impact and implications on our future. Organizations are now beginning to optimize their hardware and data infrastructure, implementing initiatives that make greater use of green resources. Unfortunately, the increasing popularity of this trend has made it much more difficult to decipher what an organization's environmental intentions really are. Companies have taken up the art of “greenwashing” their products and services in attempt to fool the public into believing they have a much greater impact on the environment than they truly do. These corporate initiatives are often simply a publicity ploy, with companies failing to successfully produce results in reducing their own carbon footprint or making any significant changes to their harmful impact on the environment.
Numerous organizations have been spinning their green schemes for publicity and some have grown more bizarre than others. There are more absurd examples like the “CO2 is Green” group, which has released advertisements boldly claiming “there is no scientific evidence that CO2 is a pollutant.” The ambitious non-profit group, which has its own Facebook page of loyal followers, would like you to believe that the higher CO2 levels we have today can actually help the Earth's ecosystems. It may just be the most ridiculous example of greenwashed propaganda yet, and who else could possibly be responsible but oil and coal interests. The hidden agenda here is fairly obvious, but it does sometimes take a bit more effort to uncover deceitful messaging or contradictory efforts in an organization's environmental stance.
Greenpeace recently released a controversial report criticizing a number of companies for potential conflicting environmental practices surrounding the new cloud computing phenomenon sweeping the IT world in 2010. Companies and industry analysts have been promoting cloud computing as the next big thing for green IT, crediting its ability to dramatically cut down on hardware equipment. The reduction in hardware means companies will be able to save energy and cut down on the unnecessary carbon emissions used to power and cool these complex components. The logic is sound; however, many often fail to account for the additional third-party storage spaces needed to support these data-stuffed systems. The necessity will undoubtedly boost the ever-growing data center population, leaving a whole new set of questions surrounding how companies plan to deal with those less-publicized, albeit imposing carbon emissions numbers. Indeed, the data center sector can sometimes shed light on companies' true colors, some being the furthest thing from green.
Skepticism and close examination is fair, especially when you consider the traditionally power-hungry data center industry. Greenpeace analysts predict a triple increase in electricity consumption by data centers and telecommunication networks in the next decade, largely spiked from increasing cloud computing demands. Increases in power consumption within the whole IT industry seem to be a foregone conclusion, but that isn't necessarily where the problem lies in relation to the environment. Shifting focus from the amount of energy consumed to the type of energy used suggests we should be driving our attention hard towards the use of renewable, eco-friendly resources to coincide with programs aimed at cutting energy over-indulgences. As Greenpeace pointed out in its report, numerous companies still rely on non-renewable resources like coal for powering their data centers, which is incredibly harmful for the environment and would undoubtedly counteract possible benefits produced from cloud computing and hardware-reducing practices. The solution isn't hard to find; there is an abundance of green energy resources available for companies to utilize right now and the idea is starting to gain momentum.
Indeed, the use of zero-emission renewable energy is the best method for permanently reducing carbon emissions and seriously pushing for a greener future. Hydroelectric and geothermal energy is already available in large amounts in a number of areas around the world and big name companies are starting to utilize these sources in their present and future data center design. A giant among giants, Google, actually committed to becoming carbon neutral back in 2007 and has shown a great deal of commitment for driving data center efficiency. The company recently formed its Google Energy subsidiary aiming to acquire affordable renewable energy to meet its corporate carbon reduction goals, data centers certainly being a chief priority. Last year, Microsoft built its first mega data center outside the US aimed at making better use of environmental resources. The building design makes extensive use of outside air to cool the facility year round, resulting in much greater power efficiency and a lasting reduction in carbon footprint.
Many other companies are following Microsoft and Google's example by developing green data center projects that make better use of renewable energy resources. They aren't doing it to follow in the big wig's footsteps or even out of genuine care for the environment in many cases. It's just starting to make good business sense. There are already distinguished regions, like Iceland, generating 100% of electrical output from geothermal and hydro power, arguably the most consistent and cost-effective carbon neutral energy sources available. Green regions like this make large-scale energy generation from renewable resources a very present and realistic option. In addition, public and private sector investment along with advancing technology are driving down the average production cost of renewable energy, to the point where it approaches the production costs of traditional fossil fuels.
That still might not be enough to sway some stubborn companies who remain content with outdated practices and slick marketing to maintain a low public profile. Unfortunately, with green laws and stricter carbon offset programs materializing worldwide, companies that don't make major adjustments soon may seriously get left in the dust. Government legislation seems to be gaining lot of steam this year especially as the environment takes front seat priority. Just this month, the UK's Carbon Reduction Commitment came into effect, forcing businesses to comply with new government regulations on cutting carbon emissions. Businesses consuming more than 6,000 megawatt hours of electricity a year will have to sign up for the government's energy efficiency schemes or face stiff fines. A recent survey undertaken for Solar Gard indicated over half (53%) of the UK's biggest energy users likely to be affected by the scheme do not even realize that they will be affected or that they are required by law to register. If they do not register by the deadline of September 30th, they face an immediate fine of £5,000 and an additional daily fine of £500.
Don't expect UK businesses to be the only ones caught off guard by new governmental regulations. The U.S. Carbon Cap-and-Trade Program is making waves this year with guidelines that are aiming to reduce U.S. emissions 14% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% below by 2050. These are just a couple examples of the kinds of governmental regulations taking form worldwide right now. Companies that resist are going to pay penalties that may seriously cripple their bottom line. In an uncertain global economy, it's an even greater risk to pay unnecessary costs on energy and deal with kinds of fines that could put a company out of business. The waiting game is becoming more and more of a gamble.
The fact remains that our society is pushing for two very different extremes. We're driving innovation for new, breakthrough technologies that are rapidly taking shape while simultaneously pushing to eliminate the traditional fuel we've used to bring us here. Green energy sources are giving these once opposing forces some middle ground to play on so both can move forward and prosper. Recent developments have put a major dent in the production costs of renewable energy and prices are becoming more competitive thanks to an ever-increasing demand. Combine that with a nearly inexhaustible energy supply and you can see why so many companies are coming around.
In the end, fossil fuels are finite, but a company doesn't have to be if they pay attention to the writing on the wall. Our own advancements in technology and innovation have ironically paved the way for us to clean up old, environmentally-destructive practices that will help resolve many issues surrounding the data center and overall energy crisis. Renewable energy is the bridge for companies to use in crossing over to a greener way of life, cost-effectively allowing them to avoid rising power expenses and impending green legislation. Companies that jump on board now can begin a new tradition of responsibility and efficiency, while resting assure they won't get swept away in the mounting green movement.
About the Author: Lisa Rhodes, VP Marketing and Sales, Verne Global - www.verneglobal.com/
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