Mobile phones and computers are part of our daily lives.
The consumption of these devices also contributes to environmental degradation and climate change.
It is also common to use minerals such as coltan or silicon obtained through unethical practices in impoverished countries.
As an alternative, ecological computing or “green computing” emerges, which aims to reduce the electrical consumption of devices, use ecological hardware and free software, increase the useful life of terminals, and promote their recycling.
It also poses the challenge of minimizing toxic materials in the construction of terminals.
Specific recommendations
The Greekflra portal offers us some usage recommendations.
Ecological computing is an initiative that we must all embrace as individuals.
These are some of the tips you can follow to implement and promote ecological computing:
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When you are not using your computer, turn it off to save energy.
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If you want to take a break but not turn off the computer, you can put it in sleep mode to save energy.
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Choose low-energy-consumption screens such as OLED, which consume little energy, save battery, and are pleasant to the eyes.
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Use dark themes or dark mode, as they require less energy.
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Try not to use screensavers, as they consume energy when the system is inactive.
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Reduce monitor brightness, since high brightness requires more energy.
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Try to use LED monitors instead of CRT to save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
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Dispose of electronic waste safely, as IT devices contain hazardous materials that pollute the environment.
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These materials require formal disposal in specialized laboratories.
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Use low-VOC inks, low-consumption printers, recycled paper, and remanufactured ink cartridges.
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You can also stop using paper whenever possible.
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Buy energy-efficient components such as SSDs instead of HDDs.
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Implement Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to reduce metal waste and cabling infrastructure.
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Spread awareness about ecological computing inside and outside your organization.
Labels involved
Use products with the Energy Star label because they consume less energy and are manufactured with ecological computing principles.
Other resources
SOM CONNEXIÓ Conscious telephony
FAIRPHONE Sustainable phone
LIBRE OFFICE Office software
OPEN OFFICE Office software
