Along with the drive by most Governments and non-profit organizations, the IT sector is now realizing the importance of delivering environmentally sustainable solutions. Green IT, or otherwise known as Green Computing is the concept of building computer hardware and software system with the minimal impact to the environment.

Even though Green IT has become a hot topic in 2010, its roots run back to early 90's. In 1992, the 'Energy Star' program was launched by the 'U.S. Environmental Protection Agency'. This program encouraged new electronic devices to be more energy-efficient by lowering energy consumption, efficient design and reduced use of hazardous material. The 'Energy Star' program was revised in 2006 and now includes much stricter efficiency requirements and a tiered ranking system for approval.

The recent attention on Green IT technologies has also opened new career opportunities for IT professionals. Since some of the areas need specialized attention such as energy efficiency, environmental laws and ethical disposal, some organizations have created new positions and divisions to embrace this upcoming trend.

There are several organizations who are actively participating in promotion of environmentally sustainable IT systems. Few examples are Green Computing Impact Organization (GCIO), Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) and Green Electronics Council.

Building green IT systems do come with an added cost. These systems do need to take into account the overall short and long term sustainability, the total cost of ownership and the costs of safe recycling and disposal. But when used with efficient and effective policies, the return on investment can be much greater for the organization, employees and the community

Tags:CSCI,GCIO,Green Computing, IT sector,Green IT.