How Can Schools Empower Environmental Action?
The Department of Education is pushing for the UK’s education sector to lead the world in sustainability and climate change by 2030. It’s aiming to achieve excellence in education and skills, meet net zero, and build resilience to climate change and a better environment for future generations. There’s plenty of work ahead to achieve that; schools currently produce 25% of public sector building emissions in the UK, which translates to 625,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
And when you consider digital and tech use is growing in education, the right technology choices can help schools better meet tech requirements, mitigate higher IT and electricity costs, and reduce waste and tech’s impact on our planet. With tech that’s built using industry-leading sustainable practices, you can balance efficiency, cost, and sustainability, reducing your school’s environmental impact while enhancing learning.
The Power of Cloud
Organisations that switch to cloud-based products like Google Workspace can cut their IT energy use and carbon emissions by as much as 87%. Google is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint, and providing schools with environmentally friendly EdTech so they can do the same.
See how you can build on Google’s efforts to create a foundation of sustainability for your school and inspire a more environmentally friendly future for all. Back in 2007, Google was the first major company to go carbon neutral – and it’s aiming to become carbon-free by 2030.
Education Tech That’s Energy Efficient by Design
Chromebooks with Chrome Education Upgrade are lightweight, durable laptops designed for the classroom. They’re built to be energy efficient and to last – so schools can ensure they’re making a cost-effective, long-term investment while working towards a sustainable future.
Powered by ChromeOS, Chromebooks use built-in capabilities such as efficient charging, low power state loads and adaptive light control powered by assistive AI, to optimise energy consumption. This also gives you a long battery life – saving electricity and ensuring teachers and students aren’t constantly tethered to a cable.
Chromebooks with ChromeOS:
- Are powered by a carbon-neutral cloud – the cleanest in the industry
- Have lighter component requirements, making them more energy efficient
- Provide automatic updates – increasing their lifespan
- Promote efficient bandwidth use for video streaming
And as a result, they consume nearly half as much energy as comparable devices…
Switching 1,000 devices to Chromebooks with ChromeOS can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%.
Enhance Learning While Saving Time and Resources
Chromebooks with ChromeOS help schools reduce waste in more ways than one. For a start, they use low-carbon emission manufacturing processes and choose recyclable materials wherever possible in both our devices and packaging – including ocean plastic.
And here are three more ways Chromebooks with ChromeOS help save resources:
Reduce e-waste with long-lasting devices With long-lasting components like spill-proof keyboards and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, Chromebooks are built to withstand all the hazards of the classroom. Their durable build means they last longer, serving class after class of teachers and students and generating less e-waste. More than 63.2 million tons of e-waste were discarded worldwide in 2021, which weighs more than the Great Wall of China.
Go paper-free with online lesson content and fewer letters sent home With Google Classroom and Google Workspace (which includes Docs, Forms, Sheets, Slides and more), you can engage students with paper-free tasks and presentations, and keep their guardians in the loop electronically.
Meet remotely and reduce travel High-quality video communication services are a great alternative to in-person meetings – without compromising on that face-to-face experience. With ChromeOS and Google Meet, guardians and teachers can save on travel time and fuel.
Saving Waste Doesn’t End With Chromebooks…
ChromeOS can even revitalise your school’s existing laptops, desktops, and tablets. With ChromeOS Flex, you can bring them into the ChromeOS ecosystem, extending the life of your hardware and ensuring you don’t need to retire and recycle older devices ahead of time.
