Lower Your Carbon Footprint With the Cloud

Cloud computing can help startups reduce their carbon footprint in a way that is equal to conserving 200 million barrels of oil or saving enough energy to power 5.7 million cars for an entire year, according to a 2011 study by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Cloud computing can help companies meet these results with $12.3 billion in energy savings and up to 85.7 metric tons of carbon emissions savings by 2020. The study, which was conducted by the analyst research firm Verdantix and sponsored by AT&T, found that adopters of cloud computing can lower CO2 emissions and reduce overall energy consumption.

Not only is the cloud an environmentally-sustainable business practice, but it also offers monetary benefits. Startups don’t have to worry about buying new equipment up front or maintaining failing IT infrastructure. Cloud computing also allows for greater flexibility, scaling and operational efficiency.

What Is Cloud Computing?

The cloud is a metaphor for the Internet, explains PC Mag. When someone works in the cloud, it means they store and access programs and data via the Internet instead of a computer’s hard drive. Alternatively, data that is stored on your hard drive and programs that run from your computer are called local storage. Some examples of cloud computing services include Google Drive, Dropbox and Apple iCloud.

Which Cloud Service Is Right for Your Startup?

PC Mag also reports that cloud computing generated $100 billion in 2012 and could increase to $270 billion by 2020. So, with so many cloud providers on the Web, how do you know which service is best for your startup?

Free online services, like Top 10 Cloud Storage, offer users free access to rankings and reviews of popular cloud computing services. By browsing the rankings and real consumer reviews, you can make a well-informed decision about which cloud service is best for your company. The cloud providers are judged on factors like value, reliability, customer service and tech support, ease of use, security, storage space, and download and upload speeds. Top 10 Cloud Storage also gives recommendations for business and personal use.

What Are the Environmental Benefits?

A Google funded study found that moving common software applications (such as email, CRM software and productivity software) of 86 million American workers to the cloud could potentially save enough electricity to power Los Angeles, California for an entire year.

A study from the Global E-Sustainability Initiative (GEI), found that if 80 percent of the world’s enterprises powered down their local services and adopted cloud computing, there would be a 4.5 megaton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This translates to a 2 percent decrease in the IT sector. And although this statistic may not seem impressive at first glance, consider that it equates to nearly 1.7 million cars vanishing from the roads.

So what’s holding your startup back from transitioning to cloud computing? Between the environmental impact and the business benefits (like improved flexibility and accessibility and reduced spending on IT infrastructure), there are very few reasons not to switch.

The article Lower Your Carbon Footprint With the Cloud first appeared on Andrew Rogerson and Rogerson Business Services by Andrew Rogerson