Since last year, "Green IT" has tipped over spectacularly in capturing the hearts, minds and maybe even wallets of IT managers and executives everywhere  Therefore, in a true spirit of enquiry, I've started reading "Green to Gold".  This is a 2006 book by Daniel Esty and Andrew Winston which some claim is the bible for businesses caught up in the current green craze.

So why is everyone obsessed with green?  Is it a fad, a politically correct posture, a true corporate shift from self-interest to social and environmental responsibility, or a true source of business value?

It wasn't easy for me to start this little investigation. From Al Gore's relentless self-promotion as the saviour of the planet to the well meaning but (let's be charitible) not terribly well-thought out positions of an endless parade of eco-missionary bloggers, I have developed a severe allergy to this trend.

But why? I'm environmentally conscious, I don't litter, I drive a hybrid, I'm a vegetarian, I vote Green... why am I not all over this? Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful for people and companies to be aware of their actions and the full spectrum of their consequences.

But... Green IT and green business seem to be almost based on faith rather than reason. It's like a technology where everyone has an early adopter mentality but the market has gone mainstream. In early markets the new technology moves forward based on belief that the promised benefits will appear, but often it's years before real benefits can be measured.