What are the best practices for green IT procurement and disposal?

1 Assess your needs

Before you buy or replace any IT equipment or service, you should assess your current and future needs and identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement. This will help you avoid unnecessary purchases, overcapacity, and waste. You should also consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the IT products and services, which includes not only the initial purchase price, but also the operating, maintenance, and disposal costs. By comparing the TCO of different options, you can choose the ones that offer the best value for money and environmental benefits.

2 Choose green IT products and services

When you select IT products and services, you should look for the ones that meet the relevant environmental standards and certifications, such as Energy Star, EPEAT, or TCO Certified. These labels indicate that the products and services have met certain criteria for energy efficiency, resource use, emissions, and recyclability. You should also check the environmental policies and practices of the suppliers and vendors, and prefer those that have a commitment to green IT and sustainability. Additionally, you should opt for IT products and services that have a long lifespan, are easy to upgrade, and are compatible with your existing systems.

3 Implement green IT policies and practices

To ensure that your IT procurement and disposal are aligned with your sustainability goals, you should implement green IT policies and practices that guide your decisions and actions. For example, you can establish a green IT procurement policy that defines the environmental criteria and requirements for IT products and services, and a green IT disposal policy that outlines the procedures and responsibilities for disposing of IT equipment and data. You can also adopt green IT practices such as reducing paper use, enabling power-saving modes, consolidating servers, and virtualizing applications.

4 Dispose of IT equipment and data securely and responsibly

When your IT equipment reaches the end of its useful life or becomes obsolete, you should dispose of it in a secure and responsible way. This means that you should erase or destroy any sensitive or confidential data on the devices, and follow the applicable laws and regulations for e-waste management. You should also consider the options for reuse, refurbishment, or recycling of the IT equipment, and donate or sell them to reputable organizations or programs that can extend their life or recover their materials. By doing so, you can reduce the environmental impact of e-waste and support the circular economy.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?