Green Technology Initiative Launch: Action Today To Save The Planet

Published 2nd May 2007

IT can help save the planet with action today while waiting for greener technology tomorrow...

1st May 2007 – London, UK - The creation of a forum to educate and assist UK businesses in reducing carbon emissions from energy used by IT is announced today. The Green Technology Initiative (www.greentechnologyinitiative.org) is an industry led project which will become a knowledge resource for IT managers and directors wishing to improve the environmental impact of their IT infrastructure.

According to analyst firm Gartner, the energy from manufacturing, distribution and use of information and communications technology emits approximately 2% of total global carbon dioxide, equal to the emissions from the airline industry. The Green Technology Initiative aims to become a meeting point where businesses can find out how to reduce their IT carbon footprint from those with expert knowledge and experience. Concentrating on the environmental impact of powering, cooling and operating IT equipment, it aims to educate and demonstrate how companies can change working practices, improve the efficiency of devices and use existing technology to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions. In some cases even negate the negative impact technology has on the environment.

“The Green Technology Initiative is focused on education and about being green today, not tomorrow,” comments Dan Sutherland, founder and acting chair of the Green Technology Initiative. “This is not about offsetting or costly restructuring; it is about tackling the core problem and successfully reducing energy consumption in IT. Under the principle of ‘green by design’ the initiative will educate and share IT efficiency and infrastructure design best practice so that IT directors will be able to invest in IT that’s smart for their business, as well as smart for the planet.”

Dr Simon Moores, Managing Director of Zentelligence (Research) Limited says: “Campaigns like the Green Technology Initiative drive home the message, that the journey towards a more cost-effective and efficient IT environment starts by helping to equip businesses with the expertise they require to put them on the road to carbon neutrality.”

The Green Technology Initiative will give IT directors and managers access to information and resources including:
• a forum for debate
• access to best practice advice
• whitepapers
• seminars
• events

The Initiative is recruiting members from within the IT and energy communities over the coming months to assist in creating the knowledge base. Founding members include Carrenza, Cisco, EDF Energy, Global Crossing and Saatchi & Saatchi Interactive. Membership represents a channel opportunity for vendors of green products, and a means for publicising new initiatives which share the aims of the Green Technology Initiative.