It's time to expose Green for what it is. Like in real life, "green" comes in many shades.

You've probably noticed these days how your hotel plays a Green card to trump its guests. A placard placed strategically in your hotel bathroom might read: "We join the hotels of the world who want to help our environment. If you leave your towel on the rack, you can help save the world. If you need it washed each day, then throw it in the tub, you selfish SOB."

Part of you wants to help the world (and it really needs help.) And part of you knows the hotel (despite its high rates) wants you to help it save money and enhance hotel profits. What do you do? If you are a Libra like me, you probably throw it in the washtub on some days and save the world on other days. Others, unshackled by their Birth Signs, may decisively commit to one choice or the other.

The Green movement in IT spawns from similar schizophrenic motives. Save the world, help our customers, and save others and ourselves money. We have at least three shades of green in our industry…

• Green manufacturing
• Green disposal
• Green use of electronics

Green manufacturing
ROHS and other laws strive to enforce the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Legislated in 2003 and adopted in 2006, it is mind boggling that the EU had to make a law for us in the first place. Some technology makers knowingly insisted upon using hazardous substances: how crazy is that?