The cloud is becoming a popular way for businesses to securely store information without buying tons of data servers to house the information. According to the 2017 RightScale Cloud Survey, 95 percent of companies surveyed are using cloud computing in some form. Companies are running 79 percent of workloads in the cloud. Cloud computing is beneficial for businesses, because it allows employees flexibility where and when they work, increases collaboration with staff who work off-site and allows companies to decrease the IT budget. One benefit not often mentioned is cloud-computing can help your company go green. Here are three ways cloud computing can help your business cut it carbon footprint.

1. Consolidate machines

Servers can be expensive to purchase and maintain and companies often purchase more than necessary for those few times a year when data loads are at their peaks. Those machines often sit idle when not in use and continue to use large amounts of electricity. Businesses that move data storage to cloud computing are able to decrease their equipment costs. Without the need for a large room to house these machines, businesses can also rent smaller office spaces cutting costs. Companies in the cloud are sharing facilities and resources therefore cutting the duplication of industry data centers. These centers are able to get higher utilization rates from their machines allowing them to purchase fewer and are often able to buy in bulk allowing them to have more energy efficient machines.

2. Reduce energy consumption

The environment where servers are kept have to be carefully climate controlled for them to be at peak performance. With cloud computing taking over the servers, your business no longer has to pay for that climate control which cuts down on your energy bills. A report by the Carbon Disclosure Project finds companies who adopt cloud computing can decrease its energy consumption and lower its carbon emissions. By 2020, the group estimates, large U.S. companies can achieve annual energy savings of $12.3 billion and annual carbon reductions equivalent to 200 million barrels of oil.   

3. Decrease in resource consumption

With companies using virtual software, the use of natural resources decreases. Instead printing 15 copies for an office meeting that will get trashed later, workers can pull the agenda from the cloud. Less paper waste, allows companies to purchase supplies less often saving money. Companies that do a lot of business across the country or globally can save money on travel expenses. With a variety of applications that allow you to have virtual meetings and video conferencing, the need to travel decreases which cuts the use of natural resources helping to limit pollution by vehicles. Cloud computing can also cut the need for mailing items back and forth between branches by allowing employees to do everything virtually.

The cloud is becoming a popular way for businesses to store information without buying tons of data servers to house the information. According to the 2017 RightScale Cloud Survey, 95 percent of companies surveyed are using cloud computing in some form. Companies are running 79 percent of workloads in the cloud. Cloud computing is beneficial for businesses, because it allows employees flexibility where and when they work, increases collaboration with staff who work off-site and allows companies to decrease the IT budget. One benefit not often mentioned is cloud-computing can help your company go green. Here are three ways cloud computing can help your business cut it carbon footprint.