Bill St. Arnaud‘s talk at the IWB conference last Thursday focused more on the problem-global warming-and less on solutions-green IT. Granted, in order to understand climate change and its repercussions, some background information is needed. But as the topic of climate change is often perceived as negative, it is also important that positive results and solutions be the emphasis so that these messages can be easier conveyed and better digested. This is not to say that St. Arnaud’s talk was unsuccessful; indeed, despite being broadcast via Skype and a few technical glitches, it was still apparent that St. Arnaud was a dynamic, charismatic, and knowledgeable speaker. He began his talk by jokingly addressing climate-change deniers, then proceeded to provide the audience with a variety of statistics that prove climate change is in fact a reality. For example, 2010 was the hottest year on record, during the hottest decade on record. As well, one only had to look outside or recall the blizzard the night before, which had prevented St. Arnaud from traveling to Halifax, to understand his fact that precipitation levels are on the rise.

Eventually, St. Arnaud began describing examples of green, or carbon-free IT solutions. Carbon-neutral or carbon-free IT is important not only because increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the main cause of global warming but also because the manufacture and operation of computers and servers is extremely carbon intensive. According to St. Arnaud, IT energy accounts for 20% of electricity usage, 5% of which comes from Internet usage. As Canada’s reliance on digital devices and media increases, so too will CO2 emissions. Thus, St. Arnaud is calling for an “urgency for action,” meaning green IT solutions need to be implemented now, not in the future.

Cloud computing, virtualization, de-materialization, and solar and/or wind-powered computers and data centres are examples of green IT solutions. St Arnaud highlighted the paradox of energy efficiency-the need to reduce costs as more people use an increasing amount of energy. Therefore, IT green solutions need to address the types of energy consumed, not the amount we consume. In other words, the energy we use must produce zero carbon. The challenge, though, according to St. Arnaud, is convincing people to build IT networks using renewable energy.

As governments, institutions, businesses, and individuals move towards such green IT solutions, a need will arise for information policies that address how to implement green infrastructure and protect privacy, for example. If our information is to be stored on the cloud how can we ensure our private information is protected? To clarify, cloud computing, or “the cloud,” according to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, is “a general term for an emerging kind of infrastructure. It describes any system where information and/or applications are stored online, allowing access to be achieved by the user via a device” (2010). The Commissioner’s report, “Reaching for the Cloud(s): Privacy issues related to cloud computing” lists file-sharing sites such as Flickr and YouTube, as well as Google’s Office suite, as examples of information stored on the cloud. The report was written, in part, to explore the benefits and risks of cloud computing for citizens and government. Risks of cloud computing include security, lawful access, permanence of data, and ownership of data (2010). As cloud computing increases in use and popularity, not only as a means to store and share information but to, as St. Arnaud encouraged, lessen CO2 emissions (only a “dummy” computer-which produces less CO2-is required to access information from the cloud), the Privacy Commissioner anticipates an increase in complaints from citizens and organizations regarding privacy violations of digital information. The report states,

Although it seems most likely that a complaint dealing with cloud computing would come under PIPEDA [Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act], it is also possible that the Government of Canada might create a “private cloud” infrastructure internally to facilitate information sharing, or even that some or all government institutions might make use of a cloud infrastructure for data processing or storage (2010).

Thus, to properly and safely implement and maintain cloud computing infrastructure to not only better enable the storage and dissemination of information, but also lessen CO2 emissions due to decreased usage and manufacture of computers and servers, the Privacy Commissioner will be tasked with managing thorough policies (most likely incorporated as part of the Privacy Act and/or PIPEDA) that ensure the protection of citizens’, businesses’, and their own information.

Though citizens and organizations are slowly taking steps to mitigate climate change, true change will not happen until all levels of government implement better environmental policies. According to a 2009 Globe and Mail survey, three-quarters of Canadians are frustrated by how little the country has reduced greenhouse gas emissions (Mittelstaedt, 2009). Due to our current government’s decision to abandon the UN’s Kyoto Accord in favour of the less strict regulations outlined in the Asia-Pacific Partnership (CBC, 2007), as well as support Alberta’s carbon-intensive oil sands projects over solar and wind-power alternatives, our once-positive international environmental reputation has begun to decline (Chase, 2011). St. Arnaud stressed that severe weather (increased precipitation, droughts, storms, and floods) are not a matter of if but when. And when such weather emergencies occur, citizens will turn to the government not just for guidance and assistance, but also for information that enables us to live greener lifestyles and encourages green innovation. Though Bill C-30, or Canada’s Clean Air and Climate Change Act, has been tabled, it has been stalled at the first reading stage in the House of Commons since 2007 (LEGISinfo, 2011). Yes, the bill outlines provisions for greener technologies, but only suggests that ministers “may” (i.e., not must) look into such alternatives (Bill C-30, 2006). So far, our government has been attentive in regards to protecting our privacy; it now needs to apply this same attention to environmental protections and green energy. We cannot, as a society, fully implement green IT solutions until our government mandates policies that encourage a greener future.