Greening internet of things for greener and smarter cities: a survey and future prospects

Tremendous technological developments in the field of internet of things (IoT) have changed the way we live and work. Although the numerous advantages of IoT are enriching our society, it should be reminded that the IoT also contributes to toxic pollution, consumes energy and generates e-waste. These persistent issues place new stress on the smart world and environments. To enhance the benefits and reduce the harmful effects of IoT, there is an increasingly desired to move towards green IoT. Green IoT is seen as the environmentally friendly future of IoT. Therefore, it is necessary to put different desired measures to conserve environmental resources, reduce carbon footprints and promote efficient techniques for energy usage. It is the reason for moving towards green IoT, where the machines, sensors, communications, clouds, and internet operate in synergy towards the common goal of increased energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. This work presents a thorough survey of the current ongoing research and potential technologies of green IoT with an intention to provide some directions for future green IoT research.