Getting to grips with green

AS THE SAYING GOES: every cloud has a silver lining. This has certainly been the case with the global economic recession, which bruised most of the world`s economies, but has also  inadvertently - spurred the adoption of green IT initiatives.

Most green IT initiatives translate into saving money, basically by doing things more efficiency.

However, there is a growing awareness of the threat of climate change, concerns still abound that South Africa is still lagging in its adoption of green IT, and even risks falling behind the rest of the world.

Experts claim that the country is well behind its US and European counterparts in terms of the basic green IT components and, even more worrying, is that the country is still miles behind the implementation of the next phase of green IT - using technology to improve the entire organisation`s efficiency.

Our cover story - in this, the green issue of iWeek - explores South Africa`s green IT challenges and makes for some interesting reading. In addition, our green IT feature explores the issue further, exploring some of the technology that would be kinder on the environment. It also gives some helpful tips for organisations wanting to embrace the green way of doing things.

Also in this issue, we bring you the latest in the ongoing Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro) saga, with the sad news that the agency`s former CEO has succumbed to cancer.

Keith Sendwe, who was suspended earlier this year amid an investigation into a controversial IT tender, had maintained from the beginning that he would clear his name once disciplinary steps were finally brought against him. Unfortunately, he will not have that chance.

Meanwhile, as the date for the implementation of the new Companies Act fast approaches, Cipro is in a bigger mess than ever and will most likely be unable to comply with the stipulations of the new legislation. As stated before, this will have dire consequences for business and the economy.

However, as has become increasingly characteristic of the Department of Trade and Industry and low-profile minister Rob Davies, government is saying little to allay the fears of companies and even less about how it plans to rescue the situation, before it is really too late.

Happy reading!

Martin Czernowalow