Gary E Barnett, who is well known for his eco-friendly initiatives in the field of communications technology, says it's not that difficult for companies to do their bit to help the environment.
Saving the environment is too important to be left to the government. Believing in this, Gary Barnett, chief technology officer and executive vice-president of worldwide support Services, Aspect Software, decided to take charge and develop solutions that could save both energy and environment.
For the same, he also received the Lifetime Achievement Award, in New York, for the integral role he played in development of the contact centre technology and services industry. Gary's five-point strategy emphasises how offices can help minimise their impact on the environment, while saving some money in the process.
Employ home-based agents: heating, cooling and powering space are responsible for almost 40% of carbon dioxide emissions in the US and more than 70% of the total electricity usage. In addition, commuters spew 1.3 billion tons of CO2 a year. The concept of home-based agents will help the environment by cutting facility related costs.
Use virtualisation software: globally, IT contributes 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions: as much as all the airlines combined. Considering the costs of powering the cooling services using virtualisation software can result in big savings on power bills. It can also save money on future hardware investments. This software is the coming together of tools like voice, e-mail, instant messaging, voice over IP (VOIP), audio video, Web conferencing etc.
Spend less paper: The average employee wastes $85 worth of printer paper and ink each year through unnecessary printing. Why not automate your paper procedures? Use electronic media whenever possible in place of mailing or faxing information.
Power down, power smart: Turn off computers and monitors at the end of the work day. It will not only lower carbon emissions, but also save $25-$27 per computer annually. Also replace computers with laptops that use up to 90% less energy.
Improve lighting: Swap incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent lights. Also, automatic light systems that switch off the light at a set time save energy.
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