	Background

In recognition of the cost, energy usage, and environmental impact of IT,  the federal government has undertaken various initiatives to promote the  acquisition and use of more efficient and environmentally friendly IT  products, commonly referred to as electronic stewardship or “green IT.”  According to OMB Circular A-11, green IT refers to the application of  sustainable and environmentally efficient practices so that computing  resources are used in a sustainable and environmentally efficient  manner. For example, monitoring and efficiently managing IT equipment’s power  use can help organizations track and reduce specific energy costs. Disposing of equipment. However, the benefits of the agencies’ efforts  cannot be measured because key performance information is not  available. In addition, Section 2(h) of the executive order contains  four broad green IT-related requirements that federal agencies are to  follow:    meet at least 95 percent of agencies’ requirements for new electronic  products with EPEAT-registered products, unless no applicable  EPEAT standard exists;   enable the Energy Star feature on agency computers and monitors;    establish and implement policies to extend the useful life of agency    use environmentally sound practices with respect to disposition of  agency electronic equipment that has reached the end of its useful  life. In addition, both OMB and CEQ have responsibilities and have taken  actions related to agencies’ progress in meeting the executive order  requirements. Each agency  has designated a senior sustainability officer and submitted its  sustainability plan to OMB and CEQ for review. For  example, according to officials, EPA donates the majority of its excess  electronics to schools, state and local governments, eligible nonprofit  organizations, and other federal agencies. Additional Data Needed to Measure Benefits of Agencies’ Efforts

While agencies have taken a variety of steps to implement green IT  practices, the effectiveness of these efforts cannot be measured because  of a lack of performance data. Specifically, the targets identified in the  agencies’ plans are not defined in terms of benefits (such as dollar or  energy savings), and as a result the agencies are not positioned to  identify benefits from their activities and to use that information to  evaluate and prioritize their efforts. Leading Green IT Practices Range from Increased Leadership to Improved Print Management

In addition to the activities agencies have underway to meet the  requirements of the executive orders, we identified a number of leading  practices used by government entities and private sector organizations  that are relevant to green IT. As discussed previously, EPEAT is a  tool to help purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate,  compare, and select electronic products based on their environmental  attributes. Consolidate and standardize IT equipment and services. Using  responses obtained from its 2009 survey of federal employees, an IT  provider estimated that the federal government spends about $1.3 billion  annually on employee printing, and about one-third of that total, or about  $440.4 million per year, is spent on unnecessary printing. In the non-federal  sector, Hewlett-Packard implemented managed print services that  reportedly allowed a customer to reduce the number of printers by 47  percent globally, cut per-page print costs by up to 90 percent, and save  more than $3 million in 2 years in the United States alone. Recommendations for Executive Action

To help federal managers better assess the effectiveness of progress  made toward green IT-related sustainability goals, we recommend that  the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in conjunction with  the White House Council on Environmental Quality, take the following two  actions:    update the existing green IT sustainability guidance, through the  national strategy or another appropriate method, to direct agencies to  develop baselines for their green IT-related goals and, where  possible, targets that measure energy or cost savings or other  quantifiable benefits and consider including the leading green IT practices identified in this  report as part of this guidance. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to (1) determine the extent to which the federal  government has defined policy and guidance on green IT and how  selected federal agencies are implementing this guidance and policy and  (2) identify leading green IT practices used by federal agencies, state and  local governments, and private-sector organizations. We focused on a  nonprobability sample of six agencies: the Departments of Agriculture  (USDA), Commerce (DOC), Energy (DOE), and Health and Human  Services (HHS); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and the  General Services Administration (GSA). As part of this analysis, we  used GAO developed criteria on measuring performance.
Why GAO Did This Study

The federal government's substantial use of information technology (IT) contributes significantly to federal agencies' energy use and environmental impact. To help mitigate this impact, organizations have adopted practices for using computing resources in a sustainable and more environmentally friendly manner-- sometimes referred to as "green IT." These practices include equipment acquisition, use, disposal, and related processes. GAO was asked to (1) determine the extent to which the government has defined policy and guidance on green IT and how selected federal agencies are implementing this policy and guidance, and (2) identify leading green IT practices used by federal agencies, state and local governments, and private-sector organizations. To do this, GAO evaluated federal guidance and policy, as well as guidance and initiatives at selected agencies; identified and characterized efforts in the public and private sectors; and interviewed officials.

What GAO Found

Two executive orders, from 2007 and 2009 respectively, assign responsibility to federal agencies for increasing their environmental sustainability and contain green IT-related requirements. These requirements include acquiring electronic products that meet certain environmental standards, extending the useful life of electronic equipment, implementing power management on computers, and managing federal data centers in a more energy efficient manner. In meeting these and other sustainability requirements, agencies are required to designate senior sustainability officers and develop performance plans that prioritize actions for meeting the requirements in the executive orders. The six agencies in GAO's review (the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and Health and Human Services; the Environmental Protection Agency; and the General Services Administration) have developed sustainability performance plans and taken additional steps to implement the executive orders' requirements. For example, they have increased their acquisition of certified energy-efficient IT equipment, established and implemented policies to extend the useful life of agency equipment, and developed environmental policies for disposing of electronic equipment. However, the overall effectiveness of the agencies' efforts cannot be measured because key performance information is not available. Specifically, the agencies have not identified the information needed to measure the progress or results of their efforts. For example, the agencies have generally not established baselines (starting points) or developed performance targets that are consistently defined in terms of quantifiable benefits, such as a reduction in energy. This is in part because the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and a key White House council--the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)--have not developed specific guidance on establishing performance measures for green IT efforts. Without such guidance, the effectiveness of these efforts and their contribution to overall federal sustainability goals will remain unclear. GAO identified a number of leading practices used by federal, state, and local government and private-sector organizations that are relevant to green IT. These practices include enhanced leadership, dedicated funding, prioritization of efforts, and improved employee training, as well as acquiring IT equipment with the highest energy efficiency ratings; consolidating equipment and services; reducing use of paper; and using new, more efficient computers. For example, according to a 2009 survey of federal employees, agencies spend about $440.4 million per year on unnecessary printing. By contrast, in the non-federal sector, a major IT equipment company implemented managed print services that reportedly reduced the number of printers by 47 percent globally, cut per-page print costs by up to 90 percent, and saved more than $3 million in 2 years in the United States alone.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends OMB and CEQ develop green IT guidance to help agencies more effectively measure performance and encourage the use of leading practices. In comments on this report, OMB and CEQ partially concurred with the recommendations. They agreed to encourage the use of leading green IT practices but did not agree that additional guidance was needed for measuring performance. GAO continues to believe that additional guidance is needed to help determine the effectiveness of agencies' efforts.