ComputersOff.org is hosting the first International Green IT Awareness Week in June to encourage a global discussion on sustainable IT solutions.
The Australian-based organisation will co-ordinate a series of conferences, seminars, networking events and a centralised virtual conference.
The awareness week - 1 to 7 June - will provide an opportunity for organisations to discuss ideas on reducing the impact of technology on the environment.
Celebrities have supported the International Green IT Week by sharing their views on a video collaboration posted on YouTube.
The list of celebrity supporters includes James Arnold Taylor, Nelson Aspen, Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt, Tanna Federick and Mariah Carradine.
Entertainment reporter Nelson Aspen spoke about the International Green IT Awareness Week on his show.
“Just turning your computers off will make a small difference for you, but a huge difference for the world,” he said.
ComputersOff.org founder, Mark Winter said the event is for everyone.
“Together the celebrities are urging people to be part of something big; to save the planet, one idle computer at a time,” he said. “But, it is not just for celebrities, CEOs and IT people; International Green IT Awareness Week is for everyone."
The International Green IT Awareness Week will run from 1-7 June and will see a gathering of organisations across the public and private sectors at events held around the globe.
A virtual conference will also be held over three days from 1-3 June.
Interesting Green IT statistics:
There are about 18 million computers within Australia which amounts to:
- Nearly $1.3 Billion in wasted electricity
- 5,954,195 tons of CO2 emissions created, which is equivalent to taking 1 million cars off the road, planting 1,623,945 acres of trees or lighting 6,662,036 houses annually.
By turning off your computer each night when you leave work for a year you will help save as much energy as it takes:
- To run a clock radio for 1392 weeks
- To make 9280 bags of microwave popcorn
- To wash 464 loads of washing
- To use your blow dryer for 5568 hours
- To vacuum for 464 hours
- To to produce 3480 plastic bags
- To run your microwave 24 hours a day for a week
- To to boil your kettle for 24 hours a day for 268 days
By turning off your computer tonight when you leave work you will save as much energy as it takes:
- To run a clock radio for more than three weeks
- To make over 20 bags of microwave popcorn
- To wash more than a load of washing
- To blow dry your hair over 12 times
- To vacuum for more than an hour
- To light a 100 watt light bulb for over 10 hours
By turning your computer off tonight when you leave work will save about 100 kilograms of coal from being used — a saving of more than 120kg of CO2 emissions.