Logging Into Lower Energy & Less Waste

The “Company Profile” is an Earth911.com series highlighting consumer goods and services making a difference through product stewardship and recycling. Products and services featured do not pay for placement and are not endorsed by Earth911.com.

E-waste, especially regarding personal computing, is a hot topic in environmental circles. After all, our consumption and turnover rates for these products are high.

On average, Americans own 24 electronic items per household—nearly three billion products. Additionally, the average lifespan of a personal computer ranges between two to three years as of 2005, according to the Western Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Network. This translates into great deal of outdated computers and computer accessories.

With the growing need for end-of-life (EOL) management for e-waste, the need to invest in products with a lower turnover rate grows as well. Enter the Ashbourne Technology Group (ATG).

To learn more about the growing concept of “green computing,” Earth911 interviewed Daniel Farrell, account manager for ATG.

Who They Are

The Ashbourne Technology Group is a network management company moving towards the concept of “green computing” through the services it provides through its partner, Sun Microsystems. Its “greenest” computer is the Sun Ray thin client, a computing system which utilizes a central database for desktop access and file storage, rather than utilizing hard drives on individual machines.

“An easy way to think about it is instead of everyone having their own computer,” said Farrell, “everyone shares one ‘big’ computer. These thin clients are a ‘window’ to the main computer. They are simply a connection to where everything really happens.”

Why They’re Green

According to Farrell, the system “evolved out of the necessity of the planned obsolescence of computers.” The systems do not need to be replaced in order to upgrade parts or software like typical desktops. Rather, all upgrades can be done on the central database. This makes upgrading “very easy,” and diminishes the need to trash old computers to make room for new ones, easing the stresses that come with e-waste.

The units do not utilize any moving parts, such as hard drives, fans or disk drives. Because of the limited hardware necessary for these “windows,” they draw only four watts of power at any given time, versus the average 100 watts of power that a typical desktop uses.

Farrell said that these systems are particularly popular in the healthcare industry, and they are working to expand into education as well. Colorado State University (CSU) successfully implemented the system in its Academic Village for engineering students.

ATG’s services also help smaller organizations take advantage of a the new thin client units. “Sun [Microsystems] manufactures the equipment,” said Farrell, and ATG partners with them. “We took the system that they set up, and offered it as a service so smaller companies that normally couldn’t afford this could do so.”

Future

Future goals for ATG involve looking for recycling initiatives for the older computers that their system replaces. “Customers tend to be left with a lot of old ‘doorstop’ computers,” he said.  Addressing e-waste in this regard will become increasingly important to ATG in the future.

ATG is also looking to continue to expand their systems at educational facilities. “I really enjoy talking to schools,” said Ferrell. “I’m so impressed with all the green initiatives they are taking.” Ferrell also noted that he is excited to help students learn about green options at an early age, and “lead by example.” “The next generation will be so aware. They can really change things.”

“My mission really is to raise awareness of an environmentally friendly computer option that can help clients save money and do their part,” said Ferrell. “Go green and save money, that’s what we’re about.”

Favorite R?

Ferrell’s favorite “R” is reduce, especially regarding electricity usage and e-waste. “I’ve become a lot more aware, even in my own life. I’m watching everything I throw away.”

To learn more about e-waste and how you can recycle it responsibility, check out Earth911.