ANTenna Blog -- Business & E-Business

Going green seems so simple: Recycle, conserve, and turn off. But when it comes to green IT for your company, things can seem complicated, what with all those governmental rules and policies. So here's a list of Web sites to guide you through the jungle of going green in your business.

Staying open for business costs money. You have to pay those employees, and you have to pay for the resources you use -- often, one of the main costs being energy. But what if you were able to automatically shut off the power-draining equipment no one was using? And maybe you just laid off some staff members (at least you're not the only one) -- how can you dispose of their old computers?

Practicing green IT can not only preserve our world's natural resources -- a perfectly worthy reason on its own -- but it can also save your business money. And while some of the actions are easy, others require a bit more effort on your company's part -- and might have you scratching your head a bit.

Don't Miss: 7 Ways For Smaller Businesses To Go Green

Fortunately, the folks at eWeek.com put together a list of resources for green IT. And as I sip water -- from a cooler, not a plastic bottle -- in my travel mug as I work away in a near-empty office (it's the day after New Years Day, after all) with a good portion of the lighting automatically shut off since there is no motion detected in half the building, I can assure myself that my company is making the effort to be green.

• The Green Power Network (GPN). This site is run by the U.S. Department of Energy and is a resource for news about green power markets and green power marketing. It's ideal for businesses that provide energy-efficient solutions.
• NERIC (National Electronics Recycling Infrastructure Clearinghouse). This site is funded by the National Center for Electronics Recycling and the Consumer Electronics Association. It provides state-by-state recycling laws as well as research and education about recycling electronics.
• TrendPoint. TrendPoint's EnviroCube and EnerSure products measure your office's carbon footprint and explain how to increase data center energy efficiency.
• Computer TakeBack Campaign. A national group of nonprofits promotes responsible recycling and green design in the electronics industry, provides a guide to computer and television manufacturers that offer take-back programs, and suggests policies for creating more opportunities for businesses to participate in responsible recycling.
• IBM's Green IT Web Site. IBM provides reports on environmental efforts, energy-efficient products and practices, and green innovations. And an energy-efficiency benchmark tool set lets you measure how well your company is doing regarding sustainable IT infrastructure issues.
• Verdiem. Small and midsize businesses track their PC energy consumption, and then Verdiem does an analysis to identify desktop usage patterns and areas of waste. It also calculates cost savings and lets you know how long it will take to achieve a return on a green investment, before you invest in a particular solution.
• EnergyStar. A joint project by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, EnergyStar offers guidelines for energy management and commercial building design. Small- and midsize-business owners can figure out how to cut costs through environmentally friendly appliance purchases.
• GreenBiz.com. This site has a section for small and medium businesses to find out how their energy investment can be best put to use.
• Planet Metrics. This site helps determine the efficiency of your business and explains where you can make improvements. Planet Metrics employs a SaaS model, which allows it to deploy solutions in under 30 days without the need for hardware investment and IT involvement.
• EPA Small Business Gateway. This is the EPA's Web site for small and midsize businesses, and it includes resources for environmental assistance, technical help, and ways to save money. There are also resources for getting started on green IT initiatives as well as documents, guidance, and explanations of environmental regulations.