Over the past year, I have come across a number of white papers and articles on the intersection of technology and sustainability. One of the recent papers came from IOT analytics. It mentioned that new advances in Internet technology or helping drive sustainability.
The Internet accounts for about 2% of the global carbon footprint. That is not nonexistent, but it is remarkably small relative to alternative solutions. This means that countless businesses can do their part to fight climate change by relying more heavily on the Internet to deal with many of their logistical challenges.
Unfortunately, there are also some challenges to using the Internet, which have made many small businesses more reluctant to use it for solutions that it would otherwise be ideal for. Entrepreneurs must be realistic about these challenges and take adequate measures to mitigate them. This will encourage them to be more willing to invest in Internet technology to improve sustainability.
What are the downsides to using the Internet for business applications?
The Internet may have created new opportunities and solutions to prior problems. However, it has also introduced new challenges of its own. Here are some challenges and the solutions that business owners must keep in mind.
The threat of data loss
Data loss is an all too common problem that affects 12 millions businesses every year. The cost can be obscenely high. You need to take reasonable measures to make sure that all of your data is backed up properly. You also need to know about R-Linux and other types of data recovery tools to invest in, because you might still lose data despite your best efforts to preserve it.
Security risks
Online security is another major concern that every business with an online presence must be aware of. There are numerous websites security risks that you need to keep in mind. These include:
- There is a growing threat of ransomware, which is targeted towards small and medium size businesses. If you are affected by this type of malware, it can be a very expensive dilemma. You will have to choose between paying a lot of money that you might not be able to afford and having sensitive data compromised.
- DDOS attacks are regularly being used to take websites off-line. This can have serious ramifications if customers are unable to access your website.
- Websites are often infected by malware, which is spread to their customers. This can have a number of devastating effects. It will significantly hurt your brand reputation if customers feel that you did not take adequate measures to keep them safe. They might even believe that you are responsible for installing the malware for your own malicious purposes. You could be held legally liable for the cost of the malware if you didn’t take reasonable precautions. Finally, you might get banned from using Google AdWords or other digital advertising tools that you relied on.
There are numerous rest that you need to keep in mind. Making sure that your website is adequately secured is very important.
The Internet is the Key to Green Business, but You Must Adapt to the Risks
The Internet is a marvelous invention that is helping make the world greener. It can help businesses reduce their carbon footprint. However, they must adapt to the risks involved.
