Government policy and leadership does make a different. Denmark is an interesting example. Their National IT and Telecom Agency has a specific department focusing totally on Green ICT. That department as a stated strategy, policy drive, directives, conferences, and specific advice:
Green IT in your company – The National IT and Telecom Agency has published a fact-file on Green IT for companies. The fact-file contains good advice and recommendations aimed at helping companies make their use of IT greener and explaining how IT can be applied intelligently to reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions in other areas. Read the fact-file: “Green IT in your company“
What is impressive is the transparency and openness. While there are lots of “Green washing” happening with the fad of “green ICT” conferences, Denmark’s’ Green ICT department took all the presentations from the “High-level OECD Conference – ICTs, THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE” and posted the videos and slides (http://itst.media.netamia.net/ict2009/).
Enjoy