Health IT practices are being deployed nationwide to improve the efficiency and accuracy in patient care. However, health IT systems can also improve the health of the environment by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.Read more

Telework, or telecommuting, reduces a person’s carbon footprint, curtails traffic, and reduces the need for more office buildings. Don’t just take my word for it. Look at what recent studies have revealed:Read more

As Earth Day 2011 approaches and gas prices steadily creep upward, going green is a topic on many peoples’ minds.Read more

With the launch of our Online Supporter Week, we here at Broadband for America realize that the biggest topic on just about everyone’s minds these days is the economy. In a challenging job market, the world of broadband has been an exception to the rule, creating well-paying and rewarding jobs.

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Yesterday’s annual Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference featured a keynote from AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President for External & Legislative Affairs, James W. Cicconi, discussing how high-speed Internet is essential to an environmentally friendly future in the office and home.
 
You can watch video of his speech via NextGenWeb here.
 
From his remarks:
 
Make no mistake – harnessing the potential of broadband is indispensible to reaching our goal of a greener economy.  As the SMART 2020 study on the low carbon economy in the information age notes, by itself, large-scale adoption of broadband in the United States can reduce CO2 emissions by 13 to 22 percent by 2020 “by transforming the way people and businesses use technology.”  This will save U.S. businesses and consumers anywhere between $140 and $240 billion annually in gross energy costs if fully implemented.  More important, it will promote “green collar” employment and help lead our economic recovery, pointing the way to a more sustainable future.
Recognizing that widely deployed broadband is the indispensible platform for the more sustainable economy of tomorrow, we have invested $55 billion in our networks over the past three years, to deliver speed and mobility and to enable new and innovative applications and services.  This is more than seven times the Federal Government’s own investment in broadband and, in current dollars, one third of the cost of the 13-year Apollo program that put astronauts on the moon.

Happy Earth Day 2010!  We wanted to highlight the role high-speed Internet has in our carbon footprint in virtually every area of society, commerce, education and entertainment.  As Telework expert Kate Lister said on BfA’s blog this morning, “we should all look for ways to reduce the wear and tear on our world while still being able to be productive employees.”  From telecommuting to environmental monitoring, broadband is making the world greener.

To celebrate Earth day BfA members are highlighting and introducing technology, sponsoring events and campaigns, and made commitments to operate in a more environmentally conscious way.  BfA member Verizon launched a “Comprehensive Sustainability Program” which will put more green vehicles in their fleet, introducing an eco-friendly FiOS set-top box, ramp up smart deployment, and support events like free electronic recycling days.

Besides being the exclusive mobile sponsor of the Earth Day celebration on The Mall in Washington, DC, BfA member AT&T introduced ZERO charger - the first mobile phone charger that does not use power when plugged in but not in use.  AT&T also launched the “1 Million Mobile Eco Challenge” which “will educate and engage 1 million youth by encouraging the recycling of cell phones, paperless billing for families, and the Text to Give Arbor Day campaign, which allows individuals to donate by text to fund the planting of trees.”

Click here to read telework expert Kate Lister’s post on BfA’s Blog

Click here to read about Verizon’s Comprehensive Sustainability Program.

Click here to read about AT&T’s ZERO charger.