Green Campus Computing

http://chronicle.com/free/2009/01/10296n.htm

this site is an online newspaper of an news page about the Campus Computing Goes Green to Save Money topic written by Josh Keller dated January 28, 2009. It talks about the conference entitled "Greening the Internet Economy" that aims to address the problem of the soaring financial and environmental costs of information technology. The event was held at University of California at San Diego, offered a sampling of a new generation of technologies that promise to help colleges make their IT departments both more efficient and more sustainable.

In San Diego, California, researchers have started work on hardware to help colleges and other organizations understand how to make their servers more efficient. The device, called the GreenLight Instrument, will deploy sensors and software to measure the energy use, humidity, and other variables in various parts of a Sun Modular Data Center, a popular, self-contained complex of servers.

The major aim of the conference is to encourage universities and individuals with the initiative of students to "divorce ourselves from the electrical grid" this was according to Bill St. Arnaud, chief research officer at Canarie Inc., a Canadian computer-networking organization.


http://itcs-dev.www.umich.edu/sites/general/access.php

this sites, Campus Computing Sites has dedicated themselves to support the Information Technology Central Services at the University of Michigan resources in serious institutional commitment to green computing practices.

It suggested that the best energy saving practice for individual computer users is to turn their machine off if not in use for an extended period.

But the main Energy Efficiency Initiatives of this Sites are exampled below:

- Campus Computing Sites was the first large campus computing provider to purchase much more energy efficient LCD flat-panel displays. We also replaced mini-towers with "small form factor" desktop Windows machines. The switch to these physically smaller, more energy efficient machines resulted in significant energy savings for our partners and the University.

- Sites printers make use of "deep sleep" energy-saving features that reduce energy consumption when not in use. These features appear to be well implemented and do not require additional development work on our part.


http://english.moe.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=11274&ctNode=516&mp=1

this site is a new entitled "The Green Initiative of Universities - Press Conference of Talloires Declaration"

Dated June 5, 2009, Ministry of Education held the Press Conference of Talloires Declaration with the sponsorship of the Chinese Society for Environmental Education. Political Deputy Minister, Lu Mu-lin, and thirteen principals of model "green" colleges and universities were invited to the press conference to sign the declaration in order to demonstrate the determination of the Ministry of Education and the participating schools to create green and sustainable campuses with low carbon emissions.

"Recently, the Ministry of Education has been committed to promoting sustainable campuses and has seen positive results. In 2007, Ministry of Education announced the policies of conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions in colleges and universities. Ministry of Education formally initiated the "Green University" program in Taiwan in 2007, in the hope that new resources and facilities will create environment-friendly campuses with low carbon emissions." According to the said news article.

This sites mirror the project of the Government of Taiwan to pursue green computing in its different universities and colleges. Furthermore, supports Global advantage in being a role model of environmental awareness.


http://www.uoregon.edu/~recycle/GreenComputing/GreenCompGuide_text.htm

this site suggested guiding tips to conserve energy in the university facilities. Such of this tips are as follows:

1. Computers are now designed to handle 40,000 on/off cycles. This is considerably more cycles than the average user will initiate in the computer’s 5-7 year life span. Turning your computer off helps reduce heat stress and wear on the system.

2. Screen savers were originally designed to help protect the life span of monochrome monitors which are now technologically obsolete. Most screen savers do not save energy unless they actually turn off the screen or, in the case of laptops, turn off the back light.


3. Newer computers are designed to sleep on networks to prevent loss of data or connection. CPU’s with Wake on LAN (WOL) technology built-in to network cards can be left in sleep mode overnight to wake-up and receive data packets sent to the unit.

Conclusion:

How will our university USEP Adopt Green Campus Computing?

It isn't hard to stand for changes. Recycle as the main step to start the change. Do simple energy saving tips. But above all the student's awareness and sympathy to the environment is the main key in order for us to step forward for change. The earth needs protection from us and as student in universities and college, we are encourage to stand up!

The university faculties and the institution itself must address it matter with immediate actions. Impose strict compliance to the Laws or Rules in Energy conservation. Conduct recreational activities that enhances awareness to the students. Time to save Mother Earth! :flower: