What is the future of green technology? For the past year and longer, we've been covering "Green IT 2.0," the idea that companies are more and more often applying computing power to areas far beyond the data center, enabling them to boost efficiency and cut the environmental impacts of any aspect of daily operations.

When IBM ranked its top five green technologies this week, it highlighted where this future is headed; data center technologies accounted for barely half of the list, and larger-scale projects like water management in Ireland and traffic monitoring in Sweden figured prominently in the list. You can read what this shift means in my blog post, "Where Does IT Fit in IBM's Top Green Innovations?"

The same idea comes into play in a new survey conducted in the U.K., which found that millions of wasted work-hours every day could be saved through "smart commuting" technologies like virtual meetings and remote offices. Added bonus: workers are happier when they're not chained to desks...

Finally this week, but a taste of things to come, LG and Waste Management unveiled an innovative TV-recycling project that will take unwanted CRT displays from hotels and recycle them responsibly. Along those lines, we'll have a deeper look at some e-waste issues in next week's newsletter, so stay tuned...

This report from the Green Grid explores how existing and forthcoming legislation is affecting data center operators in Europe, and how IT professionals can prepare and stay ahead of the curve.

The Sustainable Electronics Initiative and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center present this two-day conference focused on the latest research and innovation in developing the greenest possible electronics.