Sustainability initiatives driving innovation

You got an extra hour this week, so why does it seem like you’re still crushed by the weight of your to-do list? We’re here to help. We’ve got an executive summary of the blogosphere’s greatest hits, including an optimistic piece on decision making, an update from the National Institutes of Science and Technology (NIST) on cloud computing, and a report on sustainability initiatives in technology.

IT often takes the blame for eating up tons of energy, but technology also is supporting sustainability initiatives at every turn. Lauren Drell details four ways that tech improves recycling rates for organizations, as well as for consumers.

Do you remember the early, heady days of the Web, when people fretted about dead links and teenagers who were considered addicted because they spent hours surfing on the Web? Check out this list of the pros and cons of the Internet, circa 1996, featuring AltaVista and Yahoo. So quaint!

Sure, everyone who has ever had to reboot a server at 4 a.m. is no stranger to the F-bomb. Scott Hanselman asks whether profanity at IT conferences has become an accepted tradition — and more importantly, how does it affect your credibility and reputation?

Are you afraid of making bad decisions? Elizabeth Harrin claims that there’s no such thing as bad decisions. They’re either good decisions or lessons for the future. Sure, that lesson might get you fired, but think of how much you learned.

In the wake of NIST’s new cloud computing update, Jon Stokes argues that NIST really doesn’t seem to grok what cloud computing is and should scrap the cloud entirely.

Women might be a clear minority in IT and in management in general, but they are leading the way in clean technology. Anna Brones writes about five women who are influencing sustainability initiatives in technology.

Google arguably is sitting pretty, but it’s only a matter of time before the mighty fall. Dan Kaplan details the many reasons why Google’s glory days are numbered.

As CIOs make inroads in supporting green IT practices, Zoe Fox lists five ways tech companies are leading the way in sustainability initiatives.