Top Reasons Why IT Contributes to High Carbon Footprint

Posted by The Team at CXtec on Sep 23, 2022 7:37:37 AM

The IT industry has been facing challenges in its efforts to become more sustainable. As per stats, the IT industry's carbon...

The IT industry has been facing challenges in its efforts to become more sustainable. As per stats, the IT industry's carbon footprint has been estimated to be 730 Mt CO2-equivalents. This is equal to 1.4% of the total global carbon emissions. Also, IT equipment across data centers, transmission networks, and connected devices consumes high energy. They account for about 4% of global electricity consumption. This increases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to the growing climate change issue.

As a result, sustainable business development has become a huge priority for the IT sector. Tech companies are adopting green practices and driving sustainable business operations. Reducing carbon footprint poses many advantages for companies:

Improved business bottom line
Proactive regulatory compliance
Improved brand perception
Customer satisfaction
High energy efficiency

To reduce carbon emissions, tech companies must be aware of the key contributing factors. Many reasons contribute to the high carbon footprint across the IT industry. Let's take a look.

1. Hardware Manufacturing

Manufacturing hardware contributes to a high carbon footprint. For example, over 275 million new laptops are manufactured every year. On average, a new laptop produces massive 331 kgs of CO2 during production. Also, most IT hardware uses core minerals and rare earth elements during production. It's an energy-intensive process that increases greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturing hardware also releases toxic by-products leading to increased pollution. Hence, companies must avoid unnecessary hardware upgrades. Companies can reduce their carbon footprint related to hardware manufacturing by:

Buying high-quality certified refurbished IT hardware
Opting for third-party maintenance (TPM) services to extend the hardware life cycle

2. Irresponsible Asset Disposal

Another major cause of a high carbon footprint in the IT sector is e-waste. 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was generated globally in 2019. This was a sharp 21% percent surge in five years. OEMs encourage companies to invest in the latest hardware once it reaches the end of life (EOL). As a result, companies get rid of old equipment, but not all companies practice responsible asset disposal. Old hardware winds up in landfills, releasing harmful chemicals into the air, soil, and water. Companies must practice responsible IT asset disposition. This will maintain the ecological balance and reduce carbon footprint. Moreover, for times when the hardware has become obsolete, recycling is a good choice.

3. Hardware Energy Consumption

IT hardware leads to an increase in energy consumption, contributing to the growing IT carbon footprint. For instance, the average unit annual energy consumption for desktops is estimated to be 194 kWh/yr, a high power supply demand. Energy consumption also varies across different IT hardware, depending on its life cycle and everyday use. Furthermore, each specific IT hardware has its carbon footprint. This collectively increases the footprint of the IT industry.

4. Data Center Constraints

Data centers are one of the major contributors to the growing global carbon emissions. This can be owed to their:

2% to 3% of worldwide energy consumption
2% of total GHG emissions
High water consumption to cool the servers
The life cycle of the equipment

These factors burden the environment heavily and disrupt the healthy environmental balance. As a result, many companies are increasingly investing in green initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of data centers. These include energy-efficient systems, green cooling technologies, sustainable facility design, and renewable energy sources.

Minimizing the Carbon Footprint of Your Business With CXtec

At CXtec, we are continuously making efforts to slow the cycle of climate change. We are committed to Net Zero carbon reduction by providing businesses with high-quality, sustainable solutions. Here's how your business can meet its sustainability goals with CXtec:

Third-party Maintenance Services: CXtec focuses on asset sweating. This prevents unnecessary hardware refreshes and extends maintenance support for EOL hardware. We are trusted by 89 of the Fortune 100 companies to extend the life of their IT infrastructure. Our reliable third-party maintenance service, RapidCare®, provides:

Customizable, flexible contracts
Faster response times
Cost savings by up to 60%
High-quality & tested hardware replacement

Refurbished Hardware: At CXtec, 4.8+ Million IT hardware units have been refurbished and repurposed. This has reduced landfill waste by over 16.8 Million lbs and greenhouse gases by over 23.4 Million lbs. Our premier brand of certified pre-owned IT hardware, equal2new® promotes sustainability with high-quality, used IT equipment. With equal2new, you get:

A vast inventory of top brands and ready-to-ship products
Heavily tested refurbished hardware
40% - 90% off list prices
Lifetime warranty with advance replacement
99.51% reliability rating

IT Asset Disposition (ITAD): We have dedicated over 40 years to reduce emissions generated due to e-waste. Our ITAD services dispose of unwanted IT assets with: