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3 Ways to Reduce Carbon Emissions with Cloud Communications

As traditional communication solutions, which have a large energy footprint, fall short with sustainability, could cloud-based communications be the answer?

Environmental initiatives that still allow fulfilment of development goals have truly become the zeitgeist of our times. As traditional communication solutions, which are inefficient and have large energy demands, fall short with sustainability, we should ask the question, what can we do differently? Could cloud-based communications be the answer?

There are new solutions appearing every day, from carbon sequestration to space mirrors (yes, really), but what forms the base of all of these strategies, allowing for a truly global approach to the global problem of climate change?

A Connected World

Communications form the basis of the connected world in which we all now live, and therefore will be the bedrock of solutions that tackle climate change, allowing the sharing of ideas and data around the globe. But what can we do to ensure these communications themselves are sustainable?

The answer is CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service). Also known as a cloud communication platform, it allows companies to host their communications off-premise, which not only minimises a company’s communications carbon footprint, but has a multitude of other benefits including scalability, data sovereignty and high-level integration. So, let's break down the environmental benefits of a CPaaS solution.

• Use 70-90% less power and ensure renewable sources
  Efficiency is the name of the game. Reducing carbon emissions does not necessarily mean reduced output. A huge portion of power usage in business is wasted; in large offices it is much harder to keep track of energy draining devices. Migrating to a cloud solution eliminates the need for many of these devices, especially large hardware such as servers and the physical space required to house them, drastically reducing energy consumption.

  You may be asking “surely by moving to a cloud solution you are just shifting the energy requirements to another party?” This is true to a degree, however large companies use their enormous scale to their advantage. Data is considerably more efficiently stored at a large scale, and this scale also allows for more investment in policies and procedures that focus on sustainability.

  

  Amazon Web Services (AWS), which hosts Aculab Cloud’s data, leads this drive. AWS is on track with their pledge to power its operation with 100% renewable electricity by 2025. Considerable investment has already been made, with the building of solar and wind farms across the world. These projects, in combination with others such as responsible water Stewardship (for cooling data centres), results in a huge decrease in carbon demand.

  "When we factor in the carbon intensity of consumed electricity and renewable energy purchases, which reduce associated carbon emissions, AWS performs the same task with an 88% lower carbon footprint."

  Source: 451 Research, 2019.

• Work from anywhere, no need to commute

Working from home has become commonplace throughout the pandemic, with CPaaS forming part of the vital framework for this. By moving your communications off-premise, far less staff are required to be physically present to run the systems, and management of the systems can be managed from everywhere. Looking past the pandemic, the ability to work from anywhere has huge implications for carbon emissions (not forgetting productivity), with one study finding that 98% of an employee’s carbon footprint comes from commuting alone.

• Say goodbye to hardware, for good
  Communication hardware is not only expensive and energy consuming to run, it often becomes rapidly obsolete as new technology becomes available. Transitioning to a cloud-based solution enables you to keep your communications state-of-the-art, without having to repeatedly update, and consequently throw out, resource-heavy hardware. This could lead to drastically reduced, if not eliminated, capital expenditure on future upgrades, as new features can simply be added to a pay-as-you-go plan. Benefiting both the environment, and your wallet.

Looking to the future

Environmentally-orientated policies and procedures are no longer just a means of appeasing climate activists, they are crucial for the future of everyone: companies and consumers alike.

Cloud-based communications solutions are truly the future, allowing the world to continue to become ever-more connected without sacrificing the environment in the process.

To start building your cloud-based CPaaS solution, visit:
https://www.aculab.com/cpaas/

The Battle Against Wildfires

Wildfires (or forest fires) are happening more and often every year. While it is true that wildfires are a natural process, the frequency and intensity that we are starting to see year-on-year across the globe is concerning. Continue reading to find out how Aculab provides mission-critical infrastructure for emergency networks, to tackle high-risk situations such as wildfires.

About the author
Sam Armitage is trained in Wildfire Suppression and Safety by BC Wildfire Service. Having completed the 2020 season carrying out wildfire patrol and preventative forest management in Southern British Columbia Canada, he is well versed in on-the-ground measures that can be taken to mitigate risks during fire season alongside the complex network of factors involved in fighting a forest fire.

Fuel that is stoking the blaze

Wildfires (or forest fires) are happening more and often every year. While it is true that wildfires are a natural process (the forest I worked in had an average fire cycle of around 500 years), the frequency and intensity that we are starting to see year-on-year across the globe is concerning.

Wildfires are trending. Six of the top 20 largest California wildfires fires occurred in 2020 according to CalFire’s list. So, what happened?

1. Santa Ana winds
   Named after the Santa Ana Canyon in Southern California, these hot, dry winds funnel down into S. California from high mountain deserts inland. These winds have two effects that greatly increase chance of dangerous wildfires:
   • Drying out vegetation - low humidity and high winds dry grasses and other flammable brush, creating the perfect fuel
   • Fanning the flames - High winds provide fires with plenty of oxygen, while driving them across terrain very quickly, up to 16-20 kph (9 to 12.5 mph) in open land.
2. 30/30
   The cardinal rule of wildfire prediction. Temperatures over 30℃ and humidity under 30% plus ignition is the recipe for a potentially large wildfire. With large areas of California seeing serious drought in the past few years, and climate change pushing temperatures ever higher; Smokey the Bear is in for a busy time.

Where there’s smoke, there are people

As mentioned, fires need a source of ignition. While this can be natural (lightning, lava), studies have shown human ignition is to blame for 84% of all wildfires in the United States, and 97% of all those that threaten homes. What are easy to implement rules to follow if you live in an area with a wildfire risk (or even if you may in the future)?

• Be aware of local fire bans and fire danger ratings
  You can check these on local government websites or at most entrances to Provincial (Canada) and National (USA) Parks.
• Never leave a campfire unattended
  No matter the weather, location or season - this always stands true.
• Be prepared
  If you live in a high risk area, have a plan in place and be aware of all channels of warning/news - regularly check your radio, TV, internet and telephone, and always keep your cell phone charged.
• Think
  The number one preventative measure that can be taken is to think through actions and potential consequences. Are you a smoker? Make sure that cigarette is completely put out and goes in a bag not on the floor. Driving through a high-risk area? Read advice to make sure your vehicle or anything on it doesn’t create a spark (all combustion engines can expel sparks from exhaust).

In places across the globe, carelessness, lack of knowledge, and sometimes downright stupidity, can have devastating consequences. Equally important, poor communications infrastructure can lead to serious damage and even loss of life. One heart-breaking example of this is the 2021 wildfire in the town of Lytton, British Columbia, Canada.

• Location: Lytton (250 residents), Southern British Columbia, Canada
• Fire size: 83,740.5 hectares
• Casualties/Damage: 2 deaths, 90% of buildings and infrastructure destroyed.

What went wrong

Like all wildfires, the Lytton Creek wildfire was a result of a combination of factors - extreme Heat Dome temperatures (49.6C), very dry conditions, and high winds - all leading to the ‘perfect’ conditions for a rapidly changing and intense wildfire.

"Within about 15 minutes the whole town was engulfed in flame," Mayor Polderman told the BBC.

Adding to the difficulties of response, Lytton Creek is a very rural area with large First Nations communities in the nearby area. Given the speed of the fire, the logistics behind notifying residents of evacuation notice over a large area with little cell (mobile) phone coverage was near impossible. Many residents, volunteer firefighters and RCMP knocked door-to-door to aid evacuation as the inferno bore down on the town.

However, due to the speed of the fire many residents had little to no warning, with the First Nations communities bearing the brunt of this outside of Lytton main town.

What we can learn

Fighting an out-of-control wildfire is as much a logistical feat as it is a physical one. Communication between different agencies is essential; from planning escape routes and medical aid, to co-ordinating suppression measures and disseminating evacuation notices.

This robust network requires complex communication channels between government and more local agencies, but what about communicating with residents quickly, en-masse?

"People basically just grabbed their pets, grabbed their keys and got into their car and fled."

Emergency broadcast messaging

Emergency broadcast messaging means placing many calls to landlines or mobile phones, and sending many SMS messages to mobile phones - all in short order.

• Scalable, and fast
  Of course, any network that is put into place is hopefully just a precautionary measure. However, if it is needed, it would have to be able to deal with large numbers of outgoing calls/messages as soon as is required. No delay.
• Not reliant on:
  
  • Smartphones
    If a resident has a mobile phone which has reliable service, voice calls and SMS messages will work even if the device is not a smartphone - there is no need to install an app. Although basic, voice and SMS are ubiquitous, and that really matters in situations like this.
  • Cell/mobile phone coverage
    It feels like nowadays everybody has a mobile phone. Despite North America being among the world’s most developed mobile markets, over 15% of the population have no access to a mobile device. This coupled with unreliable service in rural areas (which also happens to be where most wildfires occur), makes warning residents of immediate evacuation via mobile devices challenging at best.
• More than just notice
  

  Of course, for some residents it isn’t as simple as packing a bag and grabbing car keys (not that this in itself isn’t already extremely scary). Many require additional assistance to ensure their, and their family’s, safety. This could come in the form of physical aid in evacuating, transport to safety, or more. The most crucial element is emergency services knowing the full extent of information available, as quickly as possible.

  

Looking forward

Unfortunately the problem of wildfires will not just disappear. Past research forecasted that climate change might actually reduce the severity of fires by changing wind patterns, however new research has debunked this theory.

So what actions can be taken proactively (outside of physical measures such as controlled burns and proper land stewardship)? With communication as the cornerstone of any effective evacuation, it makes sense to start there.

Aculab provides mission-critical infrastructure for emergency networks, to tackle high-risk situations such as wildfires. The Aculab GIII high capacity gateway is the backbone of emergency networks around the globe, with next generation 911 support and NENA compliance built in.

To learn how Aculab’s products can be useful to emergency services, talk to an expert today, or read the Emergency Services Solutions case study.