Green IT is a myth, and any efforts the IT industry takes to address climate change will have little impact. So argued Gartner Analysts French Caldwell and Charles Smulders during this afternoon's Great Debate. "Green IT is green fiction. It's very difficult to have a conversation about this without biases," said Smulders. "With the IT industry contributing only 2% of the world's carbon output, the industry's energies would be better focused elsewhere."

Caldwell said that the issue could just as easily be framed around power consumption. He added that the proposed spending on green issues in general could solve more pressing needs, like clean water and sanitation in less developed countries. "What's more important: clean or green?" he asked. "Do you want to feel good or do good?"

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