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 emphasizes on how offices can help
minimize 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 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the US and more than
70 percent 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 virtualization software: globally, IT contributes 2 percent of total greenhouse
gas emissions: as much as all the airlines combined. Considering the costs
of powering the cooling services using virtualization software can result
in big savings on power bills. It is important to be aware of this and make
the extra effort to conserve energy. Turn off your lights and appliances when
not in use. Shut your computer down when you finish work, emailing, playing
online bingo or your favourite games.
Not only will it save energy, but 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 (PoIP), 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 percent
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..
