It has been apparent for some time that, via the carbon dioxide emissions from energy generation, climate change can be influenced by actions in our daily lives. However, it has only recently become obvious that our growing reliance on information technology (IT) and its allied systems is also adversely contributing to the change. Closely linked to this is the built environment that predominately houses these technologies. For these important reasons, the purpose of this publication is to introduce overall concepts that can make IT more sustainable, otherwise more commonly referred to as ‘green IT'.

This Information Paper is broadly aimed at anyone wishing to learn more about sustainable IT, and serves as a basic introduction to the layman whilst providing a baseline for further investigation. It reviews the literature and some current initiatives, and lists key issues that may influence an organisation's green IT policy when being formulated by sustainability officers and their management peers