Green IT
The City, as well as TI, has made and will continue to make, strides in fostering sustainability. We continue to take actions towards being more energy efficient, reducing emissions, increasing recycling, being more responsible in consumption and in reducing waste.
Energy Efficiency
TI has replaced nearly all high-energy equipment with low energy equipment over the past few years. For example, 90% of PCs have been replaced with more energy efficient PCs resulting in reduced power costs. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the CRT monitors have been replaced with more energy-efficient LCD monitors. 90% of all our servers have been replaced with Energy Star compliant servers, and 80% of the servers are “virtual”. We are also working with Public Works to reduce the air handling and associated energy consumption in our data center. The department will continue to increase the use of virtualization and to explore other energy-saving opportunities.
Emissions Reduction
Web and mobile applications are “green”. They mean fewer cars on the road, less traffic congestion, less carbon monoxide, fewer hydrocarbons released, less gas and fossil fuels used, less paper consumed and more trees saved. TI has developed a number of online and mobile e-government applications that allow customers to get information or conduct business with the City of Long Beach remotely from the convenience of their computer without having to drive to city hall. In the next few years we anticipate demand for more services in this format will grow exponentially.
Recycling
TI has been recycling technology equipment for years through various programs. We are evaluating our options for working with specialized recycling vendors in the future. We have also increased our recycling by increasing awareness and providing recycling bins conveniently throughout the department.
Responsible Consumption
TI staff understands the impact purchasing and consumption habits have on the environment and have made adjustments to be more sustainable. When practicable we buy our goods and services locally or buy supplies made from recycled content. When appropriate, we reuse or re-purpose electronics or cash-in old equipment for credits on new. We have also replaced our Styrofoam cups with coffee mugs. These are just some of the examples of how TI is being more responsible in our consumption.
Waste Reduction
Last, but not least, TI is working to eliminate or reduce waste. For example, we established a city-wide default double-sided and black & white printing policy to reduce paper and ink consumption and their associated costs. We use technology instead of paper when appropriate for events such as meetings. We ask vendors to reuse or use recycled/recyclable packing material and we promote awareness through marketing, events and ad campaigns.
