Description:
The Green IT project has four parts. Firstly, students engage in a discussion regarding what they know about sustainability and Green IT to establish a beginning point for student understanding of the topic. Then the students are shown a video and presented materials which seek to define Green IT for them, including introducing cloud computing. Students complete a laboratory experiment in which they use watt power meters to measure the amount of energy that is being consumed by computers, monitors, printers, and other electronic devices and appliances throughout the college and their homes. Students analyze the data and in a Word document report their findings and provide recommendations indicating how the college might save money and decrease energy consumption thereby increasing the college’s commitment to become more sustainable. Students also visit a local electronics recycling facility to learn about challenges and procedures specific to electronic waste, the cost and benefits to sustainability of recycling, and the impact to the earth of failing to recycle these items. Finally, students research Green IT as an emerging job field and create a PowerPoint presentation about the field.

Resources