Is carbon offset the new currency and true value with corporate legacy infrastructure?
The world is changing, we predict we will see a systemic shift in the provision of data to the consumer highlighting on all appliances the carbon footprint used to manufacture it; similar in scale to that of the food manufacturing industry being forced to provide ingredients and calorie information on packaging. This move will be empowering to the consumer to make the right life choices if given the information in a clear and understandable format!
The same surely must be true of Carbon footprint, at least if we are ever to hit government targets. The world is on a tipping point and climate change is featuring as strongly as any time in living memory, Fires in Australia and California on scales unimaginable and swathes of the UK under water – carbon footprint is heading to the board room with organisations desperate to demonstrate they are doing their part.
Put simply, carbon offset is the action of compensating for the carbon emissions made through a business’ industry activities. This is done by engaging in both healthier and more sustainable business practices as well as sometimes investing in separate sustainability activities or initiatives are designed to offset a specific amount of carbon. The aim of these activities is to lessen the overall carbon output and impact of a business, or to neutralise it entirely.
Corporate businesses and the government can visualise reducing carbon footprint by reducing travel, installing low wattage bulbs. It’s an obvious start point, but in an effort to demonstrate carbon footprint savings balanced against business needs and additional and alternatives to be sought out.
Significant environmental impact is cased through the production of IT assets utilised within an organisation. Allegedly 1,200 tons of earth is mined to produce the minerals required for 1 laptop, along with the consumption of 190,000 litres of water as much water the average family would consume in 700 years (Colossal isn’t it?) the Co2 footprint of manufacturing an average laptop is currently viewed as being between 250 and 300 kilos. By comparison an average car that covers 15,000 Km generates 1,800 Kg of Co2. It stands to reason if you are able to ensure legacy IT infrastructure is destined for re use rather than the scrap heap removing the need for the new owner to purchase a new unit, then there are significant carbon offset values available, these can be exchanged for more productive uses of carbon within the organisation.
By partnering with Procurri and enabling just 6 laptops to be refurbished and resold, replacing the need for a new unit, is equivalent to 15,000 Km of travel in a car. The manufacture of a single server could be the equivalent of 15,000 Km of business travel! The ability to report these types of carbon offset are going to become key for modern business identifying smarter ways to displace and demonstrate meaningful reductions in their carbon emissions.
Procurri works with clients to ensure safe and secure disposal of legacy data whilst our carbon calculator enables collation of carbon offset values to be reported upon and re deployed on more productive business activities.