Cybernomics

Cybernomics celebrates 15 years with Green IT Plan

Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008 — Blog

Cybernomics celebrated its 15th anniversary last night, with guests including the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, partners, clients and friends. The guest panelists were well received and had a lot of information to give on Green Business and industry trends, from retail to technology.

For pictures from the event, view our Event Gallery: http://flickr.com/photos/cybernomics

We also had the pleasure of a visit from EcoLog’s web editor, Jennifer Holloway, who wrote this piece on our event:

Cybernomics Celebrates 15 years with Green IT event

by Jennifer Holloway, EcoLog (www.ecolog.com)

“No other industry is as pervasive as information technology (IT),” Jean-Jerome Baudry, founder of Baudry Cybernomics Corporation (Cybernomics), told a room full of clients, staff and other colleagues on March 31, 2008 – the night Cybernomics celebrated its 15th anniversary. “Computers and technologies are everywhere,” he continued. “And, they are to blame for significant emissions.” Cybernomics is an environmentally friendly IT managed services firm based in Toronto. Since 1993, it has specialized in all areas of IT management, including outsourcing and out-tasking. To celebrate his company’s 15 years, Baudry decided to hold a networking night that included a presentation about the benefits of green IT — the application of environmental consciousness to the computer industry. “The bottom line is that environmental responsibility equals a sustainable business,” he said. He even took a few minutes at the start of his presentation to explain to the audience exactly where most toxic hardware ends up at the end of its life, i.e., dumped into China, India or Nigeria.While this may be Environmental Management 101 for those in the environmental business, Baudry’s audience was clearly affected by the news. “How could we let this happen?” one man asked, followed by “What can we do to stop it?” As the group watches a video about third-world computer dumping and discusses Canadian product stewardship efforts, I am still stuck on Baudry’s first words that night: No other industry is as pervasive. Pervasive. It’s not a word I hear every day and it makes me think of an insect infestation or a rumour that has turned into horrible gossip. And yet, I don’t think it’s the wrong word. Every business, large and small, has some sort of computer network. Many Canadian homes have at least one personal computer. As the problem of information technology multiplies in my head, I also note that the solution is counterintuitive. While it seem economically correct to hang on to old fax machines, photocopiers and scanners, a newer multi-purpose unit with energy efficiency features is the better choice both financially and environmentally. “The same is true about servers,” Baudry explains to me later in an interview. It’s a concept called virtualization, where numerous older computers are replaced by a smaller amount of newer computers capable of running different software, business operations or even different operating systems as independent virtual machines running on separate sections of a single piece of hardware. Baudry says you can actually consolidate up to 11 computers into one machine. “Consolidating operating systems is actually a great move for the environment,” says Baudry. And this leaner business operation also means the company saves the costs of buying and maintaining up to 10 machines. Baudry also says there is a misconception that small- and medium-sized businesses can’t tap into the technology, but he says, the technology is easily adaptable to smaller business models. “When clients ask me if they can afford the technology, I tell them they can’t afford not to implement it,” he says. Throughout his presentation Baudry also tells his audience about other ways technology can have an impact on the environment. He speaks of video conferencing and remote work – in an effort to avoid those commuting emissions, digital forms of record keeping and asset management – to reduce paper consumption, and virus protection. “Viruses damage systems which reduces business productivity,” explains Baudry. “People have to work longer and there is more stress on your bandwidth.” At the end of the evening, Baudry announces the launch of www.thinkgreenalliance.com, a social networking site for business to share their green ideas and accomplishments. “We’ll be able to learn about others’ projects and help each other achieve environmental goals,” Baudry explains. Later, I ask him about his use of the word pervasive and he notes that being a widespread industry also presents the opportunity to be a leader. “We are the most visible industry,” he says. “We can set the trend and lead by example. Other, more traditional industries will be motivated to step up and follow.” Jennifer Holloway is the web editor of EcoLog.com.