Study Looks at Businesses Going Green in the UK

Even with all the energy focused on Green initiatives in today's business world, it seems as though some businesses are yet to make a move in the right direction.

 

Results of a new study conducted by The Green Technology Initiative finds that while businesses in the UK are all for going Green, there is not much being done on their part to achieve it.

 

Businesses create a carbon footprint by running technology like servers and computers and in a number of different ways daily. For this reason, it is important that businesses take responsibility to manage and reduce their carbon footprint to slow down global warming.

 

Results of the study, "Green IT Awareness," found that that nearly 70 percent of UK businesses have no target to reduce their carbon footprint and that many of them are looking to the Government and to suppliers to take needed action.

 

But not all hope is lost. Over 90 percent of the respondents of the survey, which included IT managers, consultants and others, said they do believe the carbon footprint of IT systems is core in the overall carbon strategy.

 

The goal to reduce emissions and a businesses carbon footprint can help not only the environment but can save money as well. For example a small server now costs more to power in its lifecycle than it did to initially purchase

 

As Chris Hines, Director of Sustainability, at The Eden Project pointed out in a statement to the press, “IT has the potential to have huge benefits for sustainability. But if played wrong can accelerate its impact disastrously. All business can think smart about making IT work for them and the planet.”

 

One of the first steps in achieving a shift in processes and actions is to provide businesses with the needed support and knowledge to start being 'Green.'

 

The results of the survey did uncover a glimmer of hope as some businesses are beginning to take heed of the advice to turn off systems when not in use.

 

The Green Technology Initiative provides businesses in the UK with information and advice for reducing their carbon footprint and seeks to help businesses reduce the amount of emissions used by 20 percent, in a bid to help them stay in line with Government targets for 2010.