How Companies are Going Techno Green

As a society, we are becoming more self-aware of the harmful effects we have on the environment. From reducing car emissions to using reusable water bottles, we are slowly trying to turn away from wasteful habits and create better ones. Technology has helped the “Green” movement even more, from cloud storage to backup documents, to apps and software that help take and store notes.

Businesses have caught onto the trend as well. From small businesses to large corporations, they are beginning to use the technology at their fingertips to not only make their operation more efficient but to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.

Here are a few ways businesses are using technology to go green.

Cloud Storage

It wasn’t that long ago that businesses relied on printing document after document to backup and archive their data. All those hard copies would then be stored in large filing cabinets, tucked away in a storage room or rooms, depending on the size of the business. Not only did this waste a lot of space, but it wasted paper as sometimes multiple departments needed copies of the same document.

Now, many businesses rely on cloud storage to store and archive all their documents and projects. Every department has access to the cloud database being used and can be looking at the same document at the same time with just a click of the mouse.

Software and Apps

Along with cloud storage, many businesses take advantage of different types of software and apps to plan projects, do payroll, and run administrative tasks. Note-taking apps have platforms that can sync between phones, tablets, and computers. Many of them have a “business platform” that helps businesses plan and share templates and projects. If a business is brainstorming and creating a project, they can use the business platform to share and bounce the project back and forth between team members.

Years ago, performance evaluations were done on paper. While this is a viable method, paper forms could get misplaced and files could become unorganized, especially if several people are doing the same task. Today, Performance appraisal software helps HR departments review and store performance evaluations of employees. It keeps the files organized and stored for easy access when an employee is up for a pay raise or promotion.

Solar Panels

On April 30, 2015, Tesla revealed a new product that was not cars. They revealed solar-powered panels, that when installed, would have enough charge to power homes and businesses. Several businesses in California tested them and found that their electricity use was cut by 20-30% for some. Now, more and more businesses are using solar panels to save money and use less energy from the power grid.

Smarter Businesses

Many homes and businesses use smart technology to run not only their security but the heating/cooling systems and the lights as well. Businesses who use smart technology are able to drastically cut their power bills down and not use so much pull on the power grid.

Motion-activated lights are able to turn themselves off when people forget on their way out the door. Smart thermostats keep the temperature in the building at a consistent temperature, only turning on when it necessarily has too.

Conclusion

The past few years, we as a society have been trying to improve on and find new ways to reduce our carbon footprint on the environment. The businesses we run reflect that same conscious effort by using the technology we have at our disposal. Cloud services, software, apps, and smart technology help businesses run more efficiently, cut energy costs, and reduce environmental waste.

This is only the start though. If we are to effectively make a difference in our world, then we have to continue to grow and develop new ways to cut the waste we create.