Today is the Blog Action Day and this year’s topic is the environment. As technology managers, we are in a position of influence to reduce our impact on the environment. How we develop our innovations and technologies have just as much impact on the environment as the type of innovation and technologies we are working on. Here are few ideas on how we can incorporate more environmentally friendly decisions into our day-to-day technology management activities.
- Design decisions: environmentally friendly material selections, architectures that specifically focus on less power usage, equipment selection that is energy efficient;
- Project management methodologies: reduce paper usage for reports, etc., invest in collaborative technologies to reduce travel as well as enable individuals to work from home;
- Development and testing tools: virtualization tools to help reduce the number of needed servers for development and testing;
- Programs and promotions: recycle older products and parts, reduce packaging waste, use greener materials for sales brochures;
Yes, going green and the environment requires a shift in our thinking. However, it is not an either/or type of question. Going green will improve your customer relationships, and ultimately save money for your firm and your customers.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is the familiar 3Rs focused on producing less waste by the environmentally aware consumers. As a family, we include a 4th R: Refuse: refuse to clutter the environment with unnecessary waste.
Apply the 4R philosophy (Reduce, Reuse, Refuse, Recycle) into your projects. Remember, every little step counts.
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