Greening IT

“Greening IT” is becoming a mantra to many these days.  To some it is merely marketing, to others it is a way to reduce costs and reinvest those savings into more valuable IT pursuits.  Prior to the recent economic woes, there were even those who simply wanted to do right by the environment.  Although they have most likely switched their business cases to be more cost focused by now.

Of late, it has been top of mind for me…

Since early this year, I have been working on a large, multi-customer research project called Redefining Employee Computing.  We have been delving into how Web 2.0, cloud computing, social networking, Gen Ys entering the workforce, the economy, globalization and other converging forces are redefining the way in which IT enables its users.  Our scope is broad in that it includes desktops, mobile devices, security, data management, access, identity, collaboration, etc.  Our research is not focused on “green”, but because of the broadness of scope and the complexity of many of our members’ environments, our hypotheses and results are not only describing cost, flexibility and innovation benefits, but “green benefits” as well.  For example, the new EC models will include more telecommuting, less travel and fewer, big, energy inefficient facilities.

I recently commented on a great post by Esteban Herrera of NovaSphere Group on how IT outsourcing providers need to step up to this particular plate to ensure they are able to survive in the long term.  Additionally, those who do so quickly should be able to undercut the prices of their competitors who haven’t in the short term.

And just yesterday, I was reading Treehugger and came across its summarization of a recent Capgemini study, the Green IT Report 2008, which is “a study of the IT industry’s green credentials and an assessment of how industry leaders, EMC, HP, IBM, Google and Sun Microsystems are dealing with the topics of environmental responsibility, sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.” The study suggests that some leading IT companies are serious about their green initiatives and are making measurable progress.  Given the few included and limited participation by some in the study, however, we still have a ways to go.

I’m hopeful that we’re beginning to move from insulting marketing ploys into the real world of making it happen.

The Silver Lining

Just when the world was looking bleak…Iraq is neverending, Wall Street is ending, both Presidential hopefuls are mum on how to fix the mess we’re in, gas is on the rise yet again, the Jets were less than pitiful tonight…you get the idea…

…I happen across a post from a colleague, Dan Herman, and am thrilled with the opportunities which can be created when we choose to do what we should instead of only what we can.  For example, many companies sit on patents whether or not they are actually using them, simply because they “own” them and they can.  The innovative Eco-Patent Commons is about Big Business releasing some of these unused, yet potentially viable and environmentally responsible, patents into the public domain in the hopes that someone out there in the cloud will figure out how to make it work for the greater good. Something which should be done as a matter of course, one would think.

This idea started with IBM’s Global Innovation Outlook Conference and grew quickly to Nokia, PitneyBowes and Sony.  The list of member companies seems to be growing, too!  This month Bosch, Dupont and Xerox have joined.

Perhaps someone will find the silver linings buried in this fortuitous trove, and in our lifetimes we will see the Earth breathe as freely as before humans sullied her face…