Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to organisations and is of the top-ranking business priorities today. In a previous blog, we uncovered what makes GCP the greenest cloud, but now we’re looking into how Chrome OS devices can help you achieve your sustainability goals.

In line with Google’s commitment to a carbon-free future, Chrome OS provide you with a strategic way to choose responsible technology solutions without sacrificing performance so that you can buy and refresh devices whilst being mindful of your organisation’s carbon footprint.

In this blog, you will discover how Chrome OS devices are developed with sustainability in mind, from manufacturing to recyclability. With the help of Chrome OS and newly developed technologies including Chrome OS Flex, learn how Google continues to lead the way in sustainability and how these products can help you reach your sustainability goals.

Chrome OS: The start of your sustainable journey.

Let’s start in the beginning; Chrome OS was born in the cloud, which happens to be the first step in the sustainability journey. With cloud computing deemed the most sustainable form of computing, Chrome OS introduced modern and responsible IT with the help of efficient power management capabilities and optimised device performance.

But how does this translate to devices? Well, as it stands, end-user computing devices generate 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, Chrome OS devices are on a mission to reduce this from the first point of manufacture. Here’s how:

Manufacturing.

Chrome devices are now being built with green principles in mind. Partners like HP, Acer and Lenovo are continuously striving to design more and more Chrome devices with sustainability at the forefront. Chrome devices are produced using recycled materials, ocean plastics, and recyclable packaging, all within a low carbon emission manufacturing process.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Let’s talk about features. There’s no point in manufacturing a device using sustainable materials for it to consume vast amounts of energy. That’s where Chrome devices differ. Thanks to features such as adaptive light control, auto-dim setting and hibernate mode, Chrome devices are 46% more energy efficient than comparable competitive devices.

When it comes to performance, capabilities that come as standard with Chrome Devices, such as efficient charging, low power load states and optimised device performance, all aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions per se. To put that in perspective, switching 1000 computers to Chromebooks would produce 90% less greenhouse gas emissions than other comparable devices.

Usage.

Chrome OS devices are constantly evolving to improve capabilities and sustainability. All Chrome devices are built with durable components and repairability in mind. Designed for 8 years of OS updates, performance will never suffer at the hands of an update; only improves – meaning your Chrome device lasts even longer, all the better for the environment!

Reusability.

To reduce business e-waste and power consumption across the board, Google developed Chrome OS Flex. Chrome OS Flex is a sustainable way to modernise devices you already own by refreshing your old PCs and Macs with Chrome OS!

So how does it work, and what are the benefits? First and foremost, Chrome Flex OS can bring a new lease of life to almost any outdated computer, Mac or PC, through a simple installation. The cloud-based system gives you all the benefits of Chrome OS, including; advanced pro-active security, fast deployment, and a modern working experience, all on devices that might have been heading to the scrap yard.

However, undeniably the most significant benefit of Chrome OS Flex has to be the increased life span of existing products. By giving your old devices a new lease of life, you are already doing your part to reduce waste, fight climate change and save the planet. To put this into context, by simply updating an old device with Chrome OS Flex, you are reducing the electricity consumption associated with emissions by an average of 19% and that’s not to mention the e-waste reduction.

From the start to the (recycled) end, Chrome OS offers a range of ways to improve your carbon footprint and help reduce energy consumption. It’s now a global effort to reduce the impact of climate change and responsible IT is a great place to start.

If you’d like any more information on Chrome OS and how it can positively impact your sustainability journey, please contact our team, who’d be happy to discuss it further with you.