Going GREEN in TELECOM

How can we go Green in Telecom?

Today, people are growing more & more concerned with conservation, carbon footprint, energy efficiency & further protecting the planet. Telecommunication companies have also jumped onto "Go Green". What does this really look like in Telecom & how can we - as business owners make a change in our businesses? Or is this marketing that just makes us "feel good"?

What are Telecom Providers starting to consider?

There is a lot of talk buzzing about reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Large providers throughout the world are making preparations to take specific actions to improve energy consumption in their "highest energy-consuming" facilities. If you search online, some companies have actually posted their "Carbon Footprint" publically to show measures of their concerns & efforts to reduce it. Some are considering power resources such as solar or wind-powered facilities.

In research I have seen, here are viable ways your company can "Go Green" with IT . . .
Recycle used equipment - seek the rules in local and national laws, research companies with specifically approved licenses to refurbish & reuse existing phone systems, mobiles or IT equipment. Be sure to research & implement the best ways to protect your company information as the equipment you recycle should be whipped clean of anything private or proprietary.

Paperless Office - invest in the equipment and backup/remote backup necessary to ensure limited to no paper/ink materials are utilized on a daily basis. This transition will take time & money, but you can eventually scan all of your paper folders into electronic versions & come close to eliminating the need to paper documents. Most important thing to note is you MUST MUST MUST back up all of your electronic data & files to a local & remote backup source. You should carefully research these options. In most cases, you will have an initial investment, a monthly investment on backup services, but then little to no investment in paper/folders/ink/etc.

Recycle Office Supplies - paper products are most used in offices, which is a great place to start recycling. Consider investing in a shredder & recycle all paper materials you would normally throw in the trash. Like I mentioned previously - be aware of confidential information & the proper ways to destroy that information. Ever considered toner or ink cartriges? Many Office Supply Stores are now providing options to recycle these supplies - some actually have incentives for discounts based on quantity. Other companies offer services which give you the ability to reuse your ink/toner cartridges by getting them refilled. It is a cost effective way to reuse a product. Even consider purchasing recycled products instead of newly manufactured products.

Energy Efficient Lighting - There are light bulbs & different light sources that are supposed to product bright light without the use of as much energy. Consider in investing in the change to these bulbs. They are a bit more expensive, but are made to last longer.

It makes since - really - for everyone to be more aware of the resources that are available & ways to utilize those resources.

Clerecomm uses all 4 of the options noted above - though we will never be a "true" paperless office until the carriers eliminate the need for paper agreements, we are as close as we can be to it. We encourage you at ways to consider how your business supplies are resourced & if you own a large office, building or multiple locations, consider the investment on how to "Go Green" with renewable resources.