Why you should reduce your school’s ICT carbon footprint
Evidence from the Harnessing Technology Review 2008 highlights the many benefits from the effective use of ICT in education. In addition to the obvious benefits related to learner outcomes, technology can reduce your school’s energy costs and the need for travel, extend the school’s global reach and help support the local community. Careful ICT use can also help reduce the environmental impact of catering, paper consumption and waste of other consumables.
There is an environmental impact to consider when using ICT in your school. IT accounts globally for two per cent of carbon emissions, equivalent to that of the entire aviation industry. It makes sense for schools to consider how they can reduce their emissions, while still making best use of technology for learning. To help with this, Becta has produced a comparison tool which can help you gain an initial overview of your school’s ICT carbon footprint.
As part of your school's overall carbon reduction planning you should consider the following.
Changes in environmental legislation
The Climate Change Act could have considerable influence on your school's ICT purchasing behaviour, as it aims to improve carbon management and help the transition towards a low carbon economy in the UK.
Article 5 of the European Commission’s 'Energy Services Directive' requires public sector organisations to lead in best practice of energy efficiency, by procuring sustainable products and publicising their energy saving actions. The Sustainable Development Commission's review of carbon emissions from the school system found them to be equivalent to almost 15 per cent of those attributable to the public sector.
The Children’s Plan has a target for all new school buildings to be carbon neutral by 2016 and the Secretary of State, Ed Balls, has appointed a Zero-Carbon Task-Force for Schools to develop a route to ‘zero carbon’.
Economic goals
Cutting carbon emissions clearly makes business sense. For example, investing in the most energy efficient ICT equipment offers 'Quick Wins' and lasting reductions in energy consumption and provides substantial savings across the equipment’s lifecycle.
Schools need to be aware of government delivery plans and performance targets around carbon reduction. In addition, the proposed UK Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme) - and will take effect in schools from April 2010.
Social responsibility and the wider picture
Schools should take account of the 'upstream' (manufacture, packaging and supply), 'operational' (such as waste management and consumables) and 'downstream' (disposal or re-use) environmental costs of individual items prior to purchase. The updated e-strategy "Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning" recognises that this will require exploring many significant and challenging issues to ensure the infrastructure fully supports this agenda.
There is also a separate target to make schools more environmentally friendly by 2020 as part of a wider National Framework for sustainable schools.
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