The publication of the government’s long-awaited green IT strategy raises an interesting question for the role of technology in reducing carbon emissions.

The plan aims to make public sector IT carbon neutral ­ – a welcome and headline-grabbing statement in these environmentally-conscious times.

But is it really practical to think of technology as being completely carbon-free?

The quickest way to achieve that goal is to simply switch off every government computer system­ – it might meet the objectives, but it’s not exactly a viable, or indeed practical, solution.

One of the common fallacies of carbon management is the idea that it is all or nothing.

Going green does not mean producing no CO2 at all ­ – it means reducing it to scientifically acceptable levels that allow the planet’s natural carbon processing cycle to function effectively.

IT managers under pressure to follow the government’s stated aim would do well to consider a different approach.

Think of it more like going on a diet.

If, say, you’re a size 18 and want to be less ­ – do you really want to be a size zero? Surely if you make it down to size 16 you have achieved something.

If every IT installation with a size 18 carbon footprint slimmed down to a 16, that would make a hefty contribution to reducing emissions. If they all made it down to a size 12, even better.

But a world of size zeros? Technology still needs to function, and for the foreseeable future, that means it will use electricity.

The challenge for IT managers is that no one knows, in green terms, what is the optimum size to aim for.

Sharing best practice on how to carbon-slim from one size to another would be a start, and this is slowly starting to emerge. As the government makes progress on its new green strategy, it must become an example of what can be done.

Every firm needs a green IT plan ­ – but make it realistic and achievable.

More than two years ago, Computing first reported that firms in the City of London and Docklands were facing serious power supply problems that could restrict their IT expansion plans (see www.computing.co.uk/2150433).

“Canary Wharf doesn’t have enough power,” said one financial services IT director at the time.

Now, with more firms such as investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort looking to move datacentres to out-of-town locations, the power crunch in major urban areas is increasingly real.

You may be fed up with hearing about energy efficiency, oil prices and the environment ­ but the confluence of these issues can no longer be ignored by IT leaders.

Electricity costs, supply restrictions and green regulations are boardroom problems, and you know where the chief executive will turn for answers. Nobody will benefit from ignoring the issue until it is forced on you.

 Technology has driven much of the developed world’s economic gains of the past 20 years ­ but global macro-economics are biting back, and IT is central to both the problem and the solution.

Green computing has become part of the IT landscape. Every IT manager is aware of the environmental benefits of technologies such as virtualisation, PC power management, videoconferencing and others. And for as long as green IT cuts costs as well, there will be little resistance to such a strategy.

But if oil hits $200 a barrel, going green will be the least of your worries. Surging electricity prices would force a dramatic rethink of spending priorities.

The issue for IT leaders is not just about going green, it is also about not going into the red.

Major software suppliers are increasingly working on plans to make their applications accessible to businesses over the internet rather than through the usual licensing model. And, according to IDC, green regulations will push more firms to put their datacentre function into the hands of a third party.

Software-on-demand and outsourcing are two sides of the same coin. The concept of utility computing has been talked of for years, but the green agenda may be the final piece in the jigsaw.

The growing demand for services that relieve business of the burden of meeting environmental rules may establish the certainty needed for IT suppliers to invest in the necessary technical developments.

For so long a glimpse of the future, environmental pressures may yet turn utility computing into a reality.

Thanks to last Saturday’s Live Earth concerts promoting environmentalism, green issues have been high in the public consciousness this week.

But the campaign has attracted equal amounts of cynicism, and perhaps something of a lukewarm response.

Not in the IT profession, however.

Computing has recently hosted a series of web seminars examining technology and the environment, attracting hundreds of IT managers eager to find out how to build a green IT department. In an online poll during one of these events, 90 per cent of respondents said they plan to put in place a green computing strategy within the next 12 months.

Why? Does the IT community contain an unusually high proportion of tree huggers? Of course not – the reality is that more and more IT leaders are realising that green computing is all about best practice IT management.

Regardless of the scientific and political arguments around climate change, we do all have a responsibility to be more energy-efficient.

For hard-nosed businesses, social commitment is seen as good PR, if not necessarily great for profits.

But as HSBC shows, green computing is about both. The banking giant’s ambitious green strategy is delivering improvements in IT operations, significant cost savings, and environmental benefits.

Put the cynicism to one side, and go green with your technology anyway – it is simply good practice, and that should be a part of every IT strategy.

Another first this week is the legal onus on recycling IT equipment that came into force on 1 July.

The new law brings responsibilities for business technology users, so it is essential that IT managers familiarise themselves with the Weee directive.

Better still, use this as a catalyst to create a formal green IT strategy and take a lead in improving your organisation’s environmental credentials.