OAKLAND, Calif. -- In response to exponential growth in computing needs -- and the resulting growth in energy bills -- the world of higher education is taking a serious look at energy management and green IT strategies.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- A survey by Computerworld magazine found that money, not environmental issues, will drive the shift to more energy-efficient technologies in the coming year, and small efforts with big paybacks may take center stage.

SALEM, Ore. and OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A new "E-Cycling" program passed into law in Oregon and Washington takes effect on New Year's Day, requiring electronics manufacturers to recycled old hardware, and promising to spur the growth of responsible e-waste disposal.

TOKYO, -- The country's leading tech companies showcased their innovations and green strategies at the recent CEATEC electronics show.

REDMOND, Wash. -- The company's quarterly publication takes on a green hue as it offers articles on everything from infrastructure design to green SQL Server consolidation.

ODATE, -- By collecting small and often-landfilled personal electronics, the northern Japanese city gathered around 17 tons of e-waste, and plans to harvest the scarce and valuable metals that otherwise end up in the trash.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- Nearly two-thirds of IT managers surveyed in the U.K. said their companies don't have a green policy of any kind; budget pressures are driving adoption, but too few people see the utility bills to know the TCO of IT departments.

-- Looking to green your data center, but don't have a big budget for doing it? The good news is that with a few simple techniques that are kind to budgets and easy to implement, you don't have to spend big money to reap big energy savings.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Virtualization to be replaced by the cloud and telework? Culling toxics from products and boosting takeback? Power management over hardware upgrades? No matter what shape it takes, experts agree that green IT will figure prominently in the new year.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Adding more momentum to the green IT movement, the Green Electronics Council has joined forces with EcoLogo to make it even easier to certify and promote electronics that are energy efficient, easily recyclable and free of toxic chemicals.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The blade-computing company has developed a new Green Leasing Program to help companies upgrade their data centers to more efficient, denser and more available technology in the face of economic turmoil.

-- Virtualization is one of the most important eco-friendly moves a data center can make and, undeniably, one of the smartest from the pure IT-technology perspective. In this feature, Andrew Binstock explains simple solutions to some of the stumbling blocks in going virtual.

REDMOND, Wash. -- The company's data center chief describes the new design as stemming from Henry Ford's Model-T manufacturing method, (in the most modern way sense of the term).

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. -- HP will be the first to offer Boston-Power's batteries, which can be recharged 1,000 times without degrading.

BOULDER, Colo. -- Webroot is partnering with Guaranteed Recycling Xperts and Centillion to provide free recycling of legacy security hardware to purchasers of Webroot's new hosted online threat protection solution.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- NetApp's $1.4 million rebate — the largest of its kind awarded so far by PG&E — for construction of its new data center and its certification as a green business mark the latest recognition for the 16-year-old firm and its eco-friendly efforts.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- The potential toughening of E.U. e-waste regulations could impose minimum recycling targets on IT manufacturers and force them to crank up takeback schemes.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Global economic worries -- and a slowdown in overall IT spending -- will actually help spur adoption of energy-efficient technologies and other green IT strategies, according to a new report from IDC.