@geekygreen, a rich source of information on Twitter about UK Green ICT, quotes a speaker at BSIGreenIT, "I would venture that 'Green IT' is actually 'Energy Efficient IT'." This references a reoccurring misconception well worth challenging.

I say reoccurring because the following is an update of a post I created six months ago after attending a green tech networking event. Almost all the discussion about what participants called "Green IT" focused on data center and desktop energy savings. While energy savings are an important driver, a comprehensive sustainability program incorporating Green ICT should address much more:

- Alignment of Green ICT with an organization's triple bottom line objectives

- A definition of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) that includes an organization's telecommunications infrastructures and devices, specialty information devices (e.g. biomedical), media communications infrastructures and devices (e.g., audio/video production, delivery, presentation), etc.

- Renewable energy for ICT

- Reduction/offset of carbon emissions

- Minimizing purchase of new gear (majority of environmental impact is said to occur during the production phase: extraction, processing, manufacture, distribution) Sweat your assets!

- Sustainable design, manufacture, and disposal of gear we must purchase

- Stakeholder communication and engagement

Click here for a more comprehensive list of topics.