[Editor Note: This is the first in a series of blog posts. We plan to cover companies which are innovating in Green Computing area]

Green computing is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. The pressure is on businesses worldwide to be more environmentally conscious and reduce their carbon footprints. Green supply chains are here to stay and that companies will be compelled, sooner than later, to invest in greening their supply chains. Studies from institutes such as IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) have shown that there is almost a 15% increase in employee productivity if a company uses green initiatives, so why should be the big IT companies like Infosys  be left behind.

Infosys won the 2008 InfoWorld 100 award in the Green IT Implementation category. Green IT solutions at Infosys are along five tracks-energy, water, emission, biodiversity and waste and its goal is to take leadership in each one of them. It is now sharing internal green computing practices with clients, helping them tread the green path amid rising concerns of global warming. One of the biggest commitments made by the firm is to go carbon neutral in the near future.

One of the goals that have been set by the team is a 5% reduction in per capita electricity and fresh water consumption in 2009.

Infosys has also formed an Eco Club for its employees to take up green. There are a host of such measures being undertaken by the company to reduce its carbon footprint. But the most significant has been its effort to bring out a Sustainability Report. Hope the other companies, especially in the IT sector, take a cue and come out with their own reports.

Infosys has also decided to plant a tree for every new employee. It has one of the largest passive solar water heaters capacity in India, close to 5 lakh liters.

Green IT is all about minimizing the environmental impact of IT systems and getting the most out of technology and it can be achieve through enhanced efficiency as well as improved power and thermal management, so far Infosys has successfully taken the initiative and implemented it, let’s see how far it will go!