Advances in technology offer us amazing opportunities to work in a more sustainable way. Increasing numbers are taking advantage of high-speed networks and high-performance computers to eliminate their daily journey to work and the CO2 emissions that go with it.

With the right technology in place, employees can work as effectively in their spare bedroom or study as they can in the office. Often, in fact, they find they are more productive when they work at home.

Others use technology to improve their flexibility, while those in the office are questioning, especially in these economic times, is there really a need of all those meetings? Increasingly, the answer is no – with conferencing services providing a more than acceptable alternative – cutting out the need for travel and the CO2 emissions that go with it.

So the IT industry is already an incredible enabler for low-carbon working, but considerable barriers still remain. Principally, there remains a challenge within the industry itself, which I shall characterise, rather uncharitably, as “the curse of the nerds”.

Technology is changing every day. But with this evolution comes a danger that we all become obsessed with the latest product upgrade at the expense of all else. Exciting though many of these developments are, allowing this type of nerdish culture to dominate is dangerous for those that care about sustainable business.

Corporate buying decisions are not always made with suitability - and too rarely with sustainability - in mind. Too often the coolest stuff wins out over practicality, not only harming the bottom line, but potentially the environment too.

The constant move towards the new has led to considerable waste in IT buying in recent years. This is clearly not sustainable. When employed carefully, “used” technology can offer tremendous opportunities to innovative companies across a number of industries.

There are many examples of excellent sustainable IT in practice, many on the pages of this microsite. But more can be done. All of our nerdish energies need to be channelled on this issue if we are going to succeed.