Making decisions with an eye on environmental conservation can make state chief information officers important players in efforts to reduce their area's carbon footprint, according to a new brief from the Lexington, Ky.-based National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). The brief, "Green IT in Enterprise Practices: The Essential Role of the State CIO," explores ways states are managing their computer hardware and using technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Taking steps to make IT offices more energy efficient and using technology to further "green" initiatives are some of the practices cited in the brief. "By advocating for green practices through the use of IT, and by helping to shape policies that will lead to these practices, state CIOs can have a tangible influence on lessening their state's environmental impact," said Oregon CIO Dugan Petty, chairman of NASCIO's Green IT Working Group.

The brief is available at www.nascio.org/publications.