‘Green Cloud Computing: A Hoax?’ – A Study on the Environmental Impact of Cloud

Abstract

In the contemporaneous age of data mining, internet of things and infinite capacities of data storage, cloud computing technology has made everything possible. Cloud has revolutionized the digital world by removing compliance on devices, like phones and computers and shifting the focus to these remote data centers. The rise in the use of cloud computing has also led to a rise in the demand for these data centers and consequently, increasing concerns about the environmental impact of cloud computing. The environmental concerns are generally overlooked in comparison to the technological, financial and economic benefits of the cloud. Hence, the concerns as well as the advantages of the exponential growth in cloud computing technologies need to be dissected and addressed for the future. The researcher would explain the concept of cloud computing and illuminate the environmental footprint of the cloud computing world in this paper, focusing on the benefits and risks of the emerging technology. Finally, the researcher would suggest the best cloud computing sustainability opportunities and mitigate the future hazards of this rising giant. This dilemma of balancing environment sustainability with technological advancement, ease of use and profitability would be answered by the researcher by examining the positive as well as adverse impacts of the cloud on the environment. © 2023 - Kalpana Corporation.