Green IT

Posted on 5th Apr 2010 in News

Companies’ ICT operations could be scrutinised in the future by environmental campaigners in the same way that the airline industry currently is, according to an author of a new book published today by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

Mark O’Neill, the author behind Green IT for Sustainable Business Practice: An ISEB Foundation Guide, makes his comment in an Institute podcast.

He says: “How long will it be before we see activists demonstrating outside data centres or company headquarters about the carbon emissions produced by a company? In some organisations, over 50 per cent of the IT budget is spent on energy consumption associated with their ICT function.”

He adds: “CIOs should really be investigating what carbon emissions their organisation is producing, and also be up-to-date with what legislation may affect them, such as the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008. They should be setting themselves targets for lowering their organisation’s carbon footprint.”

Bob Crooks Defra Lead for Green IT, says: “Increasing worldwide concern for the environment has brought into sharp focus the emissions and energy inefficiencies of IT systems. Mark O’Neill provides strategies and practical approaches to resolving the environmental problems that IT poses, thereby enabling savings for the benefit of all concerned.”

Green IT for Sustainable Business Practice clearly explains the concept of green IT to IT managers and CIOs or those working in CSR and financial roles inside organisations. The book covers subjects such as the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive and how to make your organisation more energy efficient by using technology solutions like virtualisation, Software as a Service (SaaS), and how to manage more energy efficient infrastructure.

The book also investigates how business-orientated initiatives such as tele and video conferencing can help to reduce the organisation’s overall carbon footprint, as well as other non- technical factors surrounding green IT, such as the legal obligations to the organisation, and the possible political and social impact for organisations that do not embrace green IT.

Mark adds: “At the moment many green initiatives are being put to one side, especially as some companies struggle to understand what it is they should be doing. Traditionally taking the ‘green road’ is perceived as being expensive and given the current financial climate, one that organisations are not keen to do.

“Most CIOs, many of whom have a financial background, are focused on the bottom line, on how they could be doing more for less, but the reality is that investing in green IT is not only going to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint, it is also going to directly improve the financial performance of the organisation; a real ‘win-win’ situation.”

The book covers the following topics: establishing a green IT policy; key roles in green IT; understanding the organisation’s carbon footprint; reducing the reliance on recycling in developing countries; purchasing and sourcing of environmentally friendly equipment; extending the lifespan of computers; data centre management and improvement ; cloud computing; sustainable working practices and a glossary of green IT terms.

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