The most common objections to Green Software. And good answers to them. Part 2
6th Green Software is for Google and Netflix. Our small application doesn’t make a difference.
One thing is clear: where a lot of electricity is consumed, every percent saved makes a greater contribution in absolute terms. But every piece of software can contribute to improving the overall eco-balance of IT. In fact, smaller applications in particular are often disproportionately oversized. The percentage savings potential here is much higher than for large consumers.
7th We do not develop ourselves.
Green software” can also be used as a criterion when purchasing software and awarding development contracts. One criterion in the evaluation can be the Green Software Design Label. If you take a look at the Supply Chain Act, you will quickly see that climate impacts must be taken into account in all procurements. Software is no exception.
8th Why should this be important for our company?
Because sustainability has long been a necessity for companies and not a “nice to have.” Regulations are continually being tightened. Software is a relevant way to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Why shouldn’t it be done? Experts believe that in a few years, green software will be as commonplace as secure software: anyone who ignores any of these aspects is simply acting negligently.
9th We don’t have time for this. The deadlines are already tight.
This objection is often heard from software engineers. And they are right: Good results do not fall from the sky. You have to do something for it. This is especially true for the first Green Software project. Here, the same applies that has always been true for quality: In the end, the initial investment is worth it. But first, the investment is necessary and it has to be planned from the beginning. In the budget and in the schedule.
10th You can’t evaluate it at all. Where are the facts and the tools?
Even if Green Software has only recently arrived in practice, the necessary tools and measurements already exist. At least enough to work with. Scaphandre, Grafana, and load generators. The tools from Green Coding in Berlin (see: https://www.green-coding.berlin/#projects). Measurement software like Cloud Carbon Footprint or Websitecarbon.com. As a metric, we at the Green Software Foundation helped develop the Software Carbon Intensity Score (SCI). Even simpler, the Green Software Expertyzer provides direct feedback and creates a rating of the software.
There is certainly no shortage of applicable tools. What is still needed, however, are reports from projects that have implemented Green Software. After all, one always learns best from practice. Therefore, now is the right time to implement software “green” yourself and thus contribute to building the know-how.