Goal For The Green

The Greenpeace International Smart 2020 study projects 4 billion PC devices will be in use worldwide by the year 2020. Emissions are expected to double as compared to 2007 levels, and the demand for information and communication technologies (ICT) services will rise exponentially, as India and China experience rapid economic growth. Sustainability measures to address the significant carbon footprint created by maintaining large data centers are integral to reduce emissions. Virtual private servers (VPS) offer promising green solutions, but some VPS are greener than others. Here is what to look for when choosing a VPS for your website or business.

VPS Infrastructure

Building and maintaining data centers to respond to increasing customer demand for ICT will necessarily involve continually working to offset negative effects with innovative and creative green technology and environmentally friendly operating practices.

To gain a better understanding of the physical footprint and the magnitude of impact that data centers have on the environment, consumers can take a tour of Goggle’s data center online.

Viewers will see massive cooling tubes used to control the temperature surrounding towering rows of servers. Eco-friendly processes that utilize sea water for cooling tubes in Finland and recycled water in Belgium are incorporated into the infrastructure to lessen harmful effects on the environment and enhance sustainability, Google’s senior director of data center construction and operations told eWeek journalist Todd R. Weist.

Finding a Responsible VPS

There is not a universal protocol for rating VPS providers and measuring sustainability or environmental impact. Comparing a multitude of factors to reach the bottom line that determines who has the most ecologically friendly system and practices is difficult without leveling the playfield.

The most efficient way to measure sustainability and environmental impact is through calculating transaction carbons—examining the efficiency of the process along with the machines used to complete the process, according to Salesforce.

Look for a services company that provides reliable, environmentally safe options, including these features:

• Dependable uptime. Linux VPS hosting from MyHosting.com guarantees 99.9 percent uptime with 24/7 support.
• Internal green practices. Companies that limit printing internal documents to absolutely necessary items required for compliance or communication reduce paper waste significantly, along with providing green VPS support.
• Wind energy credits. Providers committed to protecting the environment may choose alternative energy sources such as water and solar. Other companies purchase wind energy credits to offset the high-energy consumption required to operate a data center.
• Reducing fuel. Many companies support telecommuting when possible. This practice reduces fuel consumption of daily commutes and also eliminates the necessity of relocating employees from other regions to a central office.
• Utilizing resources wisely. Data centers that incorporate architectural design features that limit negative impact on the natural landscape and utilize water reclamation reduce potential harm to ecosystems in the surrounding area.

All indications are that businesses and consumers will rely more heavily on the Internet in the future. Virtual Web hosting providers must embrace technology and policy that supports the environment. Business owners can encourage that participation by choosing web hosting providers that actively pursue greener business practices.

Know of a VPS business you admire for its green practices? Join the discussion with your comments.

As you  may recall, Google hosted a contest last year. The winner in the category for wind turbines/power, was the Jellyfish Wind Turbine from Clarian technologies.  I thought this was such an innovative idea, I posted about it in January 2009, as Jellyfish Windpower , and updated the topic again in June 2009, as JellyFish Plug-In Windpower .

The JellyFish, is a great innovation in Wind Turbines. It changes the public perspective, that a wind turbine should be big, expensive, and has to be, more than 30 feet tall. The Jellyfish has dimensions of only 48” x 36” (1.2m x 0.9m), and weighs about 30 pounds.  Roughly, it is able to generate about 40 kWh / a month, on an average windy day. That’s enough to power a room with CFL light bulbs, a blender, or a toaster. There is no fancy setup, to use the Jellyfish. Just plug it directly, into electrical sockets. It also comes with Wi-Fi and WiMax, modules.

The Genius behind Jellyfish, is Seattle’s  Chad Maqlaque.  He visions that, “We could have 10,000 of these sitting in a city, when  networked—it’s like a virtual utility…”

The Jellyfish Wind Turbine, is not available for market, just yet, but will be in 2011.  However, you can sign up online(Below) for pre- order,to be sure to get yours, through their site, at clariantechnologies.com. It’s expected to retail for around $400. At higher production volumes, the prices may be dropped to $199. This is where if we start demanding these products, more will be made, and they should become cheaper.

My friend Linda, at Forced Green, recently posted about the JellyFish, and the SunFish.  We both love the idea, of what these products can do.  Let’s work together, by contacting QVC and Costco, so we can help get these products, on the shelves.  These two companies, have been quite helpful, in getting new and innovative products on the market, and they’ve been doing it for years. Together, we can all be working, toward better and greener tomorrows for everyone!

What would these tools do for your business, and your POCKETS?

Special Thanks to Beng over at Beng’s Entertainment Spree for tagging me in this Friendship Chain.  Please take the time to visit her lovely blog!

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Rules :

1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

1.Picturing of Life 2. Juliana’s Site 3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space5.My Family is my Life 6. The Simple Life of a Baghag 7. On A Wonderful Day Like Today 8. House Everything 9. The Creativity in Me 10. Travel and Photography 11. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 12. You Are My Sunshine 13.Song to Remember 14. Super Blog 15. Philiippine Tv Marathon 16.Simply Blue 17. Breaking the Boundaries 18. Top Five 19. A Simple Life 20. Simple Happy Life 21. A Great Pleasure 22. Glossa~licious 23. Time Goes By 24. Sweet Nothings  25.  Entertainment Spree 26.GoalForTheGreen 27.YOU’RE NEXT!

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Happy friendship everyone!

Now I want to pass this to my 10 top EC card droppers:

Thanks to my loyal droppers!

1. Everyday Living
2. Photography by KML
3. Split Rock Ranch
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5. BeadedTail
6. PJ’s Prose
7. My Reflections and Impressions
8. Learning How To Make Money Online
9. Indian Economy
10. AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles

See where the cutest ladybugs live!