Greedy for green: The motivations and hindrances of maintaining environmental sustainability in the commericial industry of cloud computing

Abstract

This articleexploresthe potential for environmental sustainability in the rapidly growing industry of could computing. By understanding the cloud as a commercially driven endeavor, we unearth the motivations that drive the growth of the burgeoning industry. We go on to explain the impetus behind many of the data center innovations that cloud computing has brought about. We show that these innovations are why the cloud has been heralded as a form of sustainable computing. After exploring the technologies endorsed and innovated by cloud computing, the article proceeds todiscuss some of the potential downfalls inherent to propagating a commercially driven, yet environmentally sustainable industry. Lastly, the paper discusses the role that we, the consumer, play in shaping the environmental sustainability of the digital storage industry.