UK consultancy releases “Green IT” guides

Carbon trading regulations and ethical disposal of old hardware are just some of the issues dealt with in a series of publications released by UK IT consultant IT Governance.

Launched this week, the three guides cover issues including environmental legislation, the green agenda and the green office.

IT Governance, which provides consultancy around all aspects of IT management and regulations as well as software tools and training, said the publications are designed to help companies consider the cost-savings as well as the altruistic aspects of sustainable approaches to IT.

“Green IT is not only about responding to consumer environmental concerns,” said Alan Calder, director of IT Governance and author of the guides.”It is also about promoting operating efficiencies – so, even for organisations that do not have much interest in the Green Agenda, the potential cost savings from pursuing a green action plan are – particularly in recessionary times – worth having”

Calder added that “staying out of trouble” by complying with green IT regulations was also an important issue for companies. Recent green regulations that have impacted the majority of the UK companies include the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. The European law, which was eventually adopted by the UK following an official warning by European authorities for the slow response by the UK government, stipulates how IT suppliers and purchasers should dispose of technology items that have reached the end of their useful life.

The IT Governance guides can be downloaded, or ordered in paper format, at the company’s website. Despite the guides addressing the cost savings of some green technology, it doesn’t appear that the company is providing any discount for downloading the document compared to the more carbon intensive paper format, and both are priced at £19.95.