Most of us know that flying is bad for the planet, but data centres with ‘dirty data’, e.g. duplicated photos, old messages and huge archives, have a worse impact on our environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, data centres now account for 1.5% of all electricity consumption in the US alone, and by 2020, carbon emissions will have quadrupled to 680 million tons per year, which will account for more than the aviation industry. 

Internet browsing, emails, text messages, uploading images and documents, and streaming video require energy to be stored meaning carbon dioxide is emitted to run devices and power wireless networks. The data centres and massive servers needed to keep all of this content are at the heart of the problem. Large amounts of electricity are required to power the servers, storage and backup equipment and maintain all of this at the correct temperature. Local servers and traditional data hardware pump out high levels of carbon because of the maintenance these systems require in power supplies and cooling. 

101 Data Solutions offers solutions for businesses looking to move their data to the cloud to save electricity and enable more flexibility and scalability. Companies that utilise the cloud are improving the efficiency of their business operations and contributing to a cleaner environment by removing their reliance on local, inefficient and energy-draining machines at data centres. For example, research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory suggests that if all office workers in the United States moved their email and documents to the cloud, it would reduce the IT energy use by 85%. 

Consultants at 101 Data Solutions work with clients to assess their data needs and recommend cloud providers that embed environmental sustainability into their operations. When a company reorganises its IT structure by switching its data to the cloud, it reduces carbon emissions and electricity consumption. Therefore, securing your data in the cloud is better for the environment for the following reasons:- 

• Fewer servers are required. 
• Superior hardware which is powered more efficiently.  
• Less wattage is needed to provide backup power. 
• More energy-efficient cooling systems and lighting. 
• Located closer to the facilities that provide power, therefore reducing energy loss. 
• Many cloud providers run on renewable energy.