Resources

The UVA Sustainable IT Working Group has created a set of informational and interactive resources that make researching and implementing sustainable IT practices quick and simple. There are resources for everyone ranging from a sustainable IT beginner to an IT professional looking for money-saving business tools. If you are not sure which resources will best benefit your needs, fill out UVA Sustainable IT's 5 question Resource Recommendation Survey to receive personalized webpage suggestions that will best suit your browsing experience. If you do not find what you are looking for, please contact us as we are always looking for new topic ideas.

Data Center Overview

An introduction to data centers and their environmental impact. Written for a beginner to computing technologies.

E-Waste Overview

A short overview of e-waste, its negative impacts on the environment, and what you can do to more sustainably dispose of electronics.

IT’s Environmental Impact

An introductory overview of technology, its effect on the environment, and how sustainable IT practices can help.

UVA Sustainable IT Goals

UVA Sustainable IT's goals and progress. A good resource for those interested in implementing sustainable IT practices in their workplace.

Workstation Management Overview

A few specific suggestions to improve workstation efficiency.

Data Center Efficiency

A brief history of the evolution of data center energy consumption, including an explanation for the surprising drop in data centers' annual energy consumption growth.

Green Purchasing

An explanation of the major types of green certifications and the benefits of purchasing a certified electronic device.

Sustainable Cybersecurity

An overview of the complex relationship between sustainability and technology, especially in regards to the risks associated with reusing and recycling old IT equipment.

Vampire IT

A definition of Vampire IT and a detailed look at how you can prevent it using smart power strips.

The Busy Manager's Guide to Sustainable IT

A short list of actions that a manager can make to reduce their costs and promote efficiency. The guide is specifically designed for IT managers who want to make sustainable changes, but do not have a lot of time to dedicate to them.

Energy Saver Settings

Recommendations that will help maximize the energy efficiency of computers. These specific recommendations are most helpful for Mac users, but the recommendations are applicable to most brands.

External Resources

A list of external websites and tools that our working group found helpful throughout our research.

Green Use

Several suggestions for how to more efficiently use electronic devices, so that they will consume less energy and last longer, saving money, time, and resources.

Guide to a Greener Data Center

A summary of tips to improve data center efficiency. Written for people already familiar with data centers.

Lifecycle Optimization Calculator

UVA Sustainable IT's Lifecycle Optimization Calculator helps businesses estimate their potential environmental and financial savings from increasing their devices' recommended lifespans.

E-Waste Guide (PDF)

A two page document that outlines disposal options for some more common electronic products.

Sustainable IT Pamphlet (PDF)

A tri-fold brochure that details the main components of sustainable IT at UVA and beyond.

Sustainable IT Flyer (PDF)

A flyer with 5 tips to decrease the negative impacts of technology in a workplace.

Project Proposal

If you are a member of the UVA community, submit all of your sustainable IT project ideas using this Google Form. You will be required to use your UVA email address to access the document.

Sustainable IT Working Group Application

If you are a member of the UVA community and are interested in joining the UVA Sustainable IT Working Group, apply using this Google Form. You will be required to use your UVA email address to access the document.