Contrary to iconic images of smokestacks and sooty factories, the world’s complex computer infrastructure is fast becoming one of the greatest carbon emitters. By 2020, global IT will reach about 3 percent of carbon emissions, accounting for “1.54 metric gigatons, or twice what the United Kingdom produces today,” according McKinsey & Co.

Where is this intense energy consumption and carbon emission coming from? Look to everything from your home computer and cell phone to the vast telecommunications networks and data centers that make the Internet work.

In the coming years, technology will work its way into more parts of our lives, making the possibility of turning back our insatiable demand unlikely. Fortunately, with this demand are great economic opportunities—by optimizing our use of technology, we can find efficiencies, cutting as much as 7.8 metric gigatons a year, McKinsey reported.

Companies like AT&T, a Fleishman-Hillard client, are looking forward and creating partnerships with energy providers to begin roll out of smart grids, where energy usage can be efficiently monitored and delivered.

Other tech innovators like Microsoft and Google are bringing energy savings to the world of cloud computing—creating remote systems that can grow and shrink computing power depending on need, conserving energy.

While innovative small and large companies will help lead us into a more efficient and sustainable future, regular users of technology can do their part. Check out this great podcast from Northwestern University for tips on how you can green your tech experience.

In April, Fleishman-Hillard Green Champions – our network of employees in offices around the world that helps Fleishman-Hillard meet our own sustainability and environmental stewardship goals – launched a cell phone recycling challenge to all U.S. offices to collect as many used wireless devices and accessories as possible.

It’s a timely cause: Recycling or reusing cell phones — which are made up of precious metals, copper and plastics — prevents air and water pollution and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that occur during manufacturing. According to the U.S. EPA, more than 100 million cell phones are discarded annually; and, in 2007, only 10 percent were recycled.

Our recycling drive supported the EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling National Cell Phone Recycling Week (April 6-12). It also supported Cell Phones for Soldiers, the charity that recycles wireless devices and uses the proceeds to buy free phone cards for military families. (A note of disclosure: Cell Phones for Soldiers also recycles with our client, AT&T.) Some offices extended their recycling work through the week of Earth Day so that more phones could be collected.

Our aim was to encourage fellow FHers to recycle used cell phones, Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), cell phone batteries, chargers and other accessories — and make it easy for folks to participate. Phones were collected, counted and shipped to the charity via free shipping labels available online. We also encouraged a little cross-office competition for the office collecting the most phones and the office with the most creative recycling bin. (Kudos to our D.C. office, which won by recycling 222 phones and accessories to the cause.)

Our scary green friend encourages employees in Dallas to participate.

Drives ran in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, D.C., Portland, Sacramento and St. Louis. Bins ranged from recycled boxes with bobbleheads and decorations, to a stuffed costume of a “green champ” that sat in a break room, “scaring” people into donating phones. In total, we collected nearly 500 devices – which translates to the following environmental equivalents, according to the charity’s recycler:

• Saving enough energy to power 17 U.S. households for a month (more than one for an entire year).
• Reducing the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as removing 12 passenger cars from the road for a month—or more than one car for a year.
• Reducing 67 metric tons of air emissions associated with manufacturing.

Just think what we could do if we made this recycling project a year-round opportunity to help protect the environment! What has your office done to make recycling easier?