‘Green’ IT? Energy efficiency is just the beginning

During the annual trade show for information and telecommunications technology, the CeBIT - held from March 3-8 in Hannover, Germany - makeITfair calls for ‘green’ IT products. Green products, according to MakeITFair, are not only energy sufficient, but also take into account environmental problems and working conditions of those who manufacture consumer electronics.

‘Green’ IT? Energy efficiency is just the beginning

During the annual trade show for information and telecommunications technology CeBIT - held from March 3-8 in Hannover,  Germany - makeITfair calls for ‘green’ IT products. Green products, according to makeITfair, are not only energy sufficient, but also take into account environmental problems and working conditions of those who manufacture consumer electronics.

"The current climate crisis raised awareness for Green IT products. But what is a "green" product? It is important to note that innovative energy efficient supplies are just the beginning - environmental problems and working conditions of those who manufacture our consumer electronics should not be forgotten", explains Cornelia Heydenreich of Germanwatch. This NGO is the German partner of the European makeITfair campaign. GermanWatch will be present at the ‘Green IT World’ at this year's CeBIT to vent its views. One of the main goals of makeITfair is to stress the need for more sustainability in the production and disposal of IT gadgets.  

 

" Energy efficiency and innovative IT solutions for reduced CO2 emissions are important, but clearly not enough to make the IT industry 'green'", stresses Heydenreich. "makeITfair wants to shed a light on the whole life cycle of IT products, from the sourcing of minerals, to the production of the mobile phones and the mp3 players, and finally the disposal of the no longer used products." Mostly developing countries are affected by the mining, production and disposal, impacting the lives of entire communities and cities.

Last year, makeITfair was calling for truly fair products to be presented at this year's CeBIT. "We regret that the industry has not made the effort to produce fair IT products so far ", says Esther de Haan from SOMO, the Dutch makeITfair coordinator. "A trade fair like CeBIT would be an excellent place for the industry to show that fair products are on the cutting edge and that the industry is putting in the effort required to make things happen."