Concern for the environment is no longer just an issue for environmentally focused organisations. Sustainability and a want to minimise impact on the environment is becoming a talking point right across the sector, both for the sake of the planet and also as more organisations are seeing the cost benefits it can provide. Technology is allowing nonprofits to make wholesale changes in the way they work and "Green IT", or the movement within information and communication technology to address environmental issues. Sustainability is becoming increasingly popular and a common consideration for organisations in terms of their IT planning and purchasing. We have dedicated this issue of Tech4Good to "Green IT" and hope that in the future "green" will become the new "normal".
DISCOVER
• Saving Energy Learn about the environmental benefits of moving to cloud computing. Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, through which shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet). Download - Saving Energy and Reducing Carbon in the Cloud Whitepaper • The Environment and the Cloud Cloud computing is rapidly transforming the way IT is managed and delivered. Organizations are embracing cloud computing to enhance IT energy efficiency and provide new ways to address environmental challenges. For small organizations the result can be very dramatic, with potential carbon savings of up to 90 percent per user. Environmental Sustainability and the Cloud Interested in reading these articles in another language? Try Bing Translator: www.microsofttranslator.com
LEARN
• Greening Your Office Through the effective use of technology, your nonprofit can play its part to reduce the environmental impact of your organization. GreenTech: Greening Your Office • Windows 7 Download this paper on how Windows 7 helps manage and reduce the amount of power a PC needs to operate. Download the paper here • What You Can Do There are many ways that we can reduce our environmental impact, from recycling electronics to cutting energy consumption. Find out about the issues, and what you can do to make a difference. Reduce your environmental impact • Refurbished Computers Purchasing a refurbished (used) PC is often a much more cost-effective and, of course, environmentally-friendly buying decision. Through our corporate refurbisher programs, Microsoft provides low-cost licenses for Microsoft software to help equipment refurbishers extend the useful life of more than 500,000 computers per year. Find a refurbisher near you. Microsoft Refurbisher Directory • Case Study: Analysys So Others Might Eat, a non-profit in the Washington, D.C., area, worked with IT services company Analysys to squeeze more money out of its operations budget. Read more about Analysys here • Resource GreenIT is an Australian-wide ICT industry body that is empowering the community through awareness and knowledge to adopt environmentally sustainable business practices. Read more about GreenIT here
ATTEND
• Connection Days Get together with nonprofits in your community to learn about the latest and greatest technology for the sector by attending a Microsoft "Connection Day". Upcoming dates: Wednesday, 29 February 2012 - Christchurch, New Zealand Monday, 5 March 2012 - Wellington, New Zealand March 2012 (date to be confirmed) - Manila, Philippines April 2012 (date to be confirmed) - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Coming soon: Connection Days in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. For more information, contact Microsoft's Corporate Citizenship team. Do you know about a technology-focused event in your area that would benefit your nonprofit peers? Let us know. Email us at rhqcam@microsoft.com