2. Abstract
The past 100 years has seen a rapid increase in global
population, along with escalating consumption of finite
resources, such as clean water, energy, and raw
materials. The multiple forces of population growth and
rapid resource depletion have created a ‘wicked’ problem
that MUST be tackled. The term ‘wicked’ refers to
problems with complex interdependencies and multiple
conflicting elements. It is my argument that the socio-
technical approach to understanding complexity with
Information Systems can be applied to discovering and
evaluating efforts to support environmental sustainability.
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
3. We are at a critical turning point
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
1941
2004
The Retreat of Muir
Glacier, in Alaska
4. Record rains cause mudslides in Rio De
Janeiro, April 2010
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
5. Desperate efforts to obtain petroleum
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Gulf of
Mexico
Oil
Disaster,
April
2010
6. Reaching limits of Nine Planetary
Boundaries
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
‘A safe operating space for
humanity,’
Nature, September 2009
“We estimate that
humanity has already
transgressed three
planetary boundaries:
for climate
change, rate of
biodiversity loss, and
changes to the global
nitrogen cycle.”
7. How IS Can Impact Sustainability
“We propose the IS community must
engage in the development of
environmentally sustainable business practices.
As IS researchers, educators, journal
editors, and association leaders, we need
to demonstrate how the transformative
power of IS can be leveraged to create an
ecologically sustainable society.”
Watson, R. T., Boudreau, M.-C., & Chen, A. J. (2010). Information Systems
and Environmentally Sustainable Development: Energy Informatics and
New Directions for the IS Community. MIS Quarterly
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
8. The Synergy Between IS and
Sustainability
The IS skill set ports over directly to Sustainability
We (IS) analyze how systems actually work, not just how
they are designed
Fundamental IS concepts are directly applicable to
sustainability issues, and provide ways to measure and
encourage workable solutions
Sustainability requirements analysis
Socio-technical systems
Supply chain planet earth
Interoperability
Distributed systems
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
9. IS Concept: Interoperability
A real virtue in any information system, it can be very
helpful if applied to energy consuming systems
Make them interoperable so they can work with any
energy source – wind, solar, ethanol, etc.
For example, Brazil is the leader in the use of flex-fuel,
this concept can be extended to many other kinds of
systems
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
10. IS and Brasil: Global Leaders for
Sustainability
Brazil is a global leader in
renewable energy sources
(hydropower and ethanol)
Not just talk – in Brazil, it
works!
Solution depended on
interaction of technology
(flex-fuel engines),
agriculture (ethanol), and
public policy (ban of
gasoline-only vehicles)
This model works, and we
need to deploy it around
the globe
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Ethanol distillery, Piracicaba, São
Paulo State.
11. IS Concept: Distributed versus
Centralized
advantages and disadvantaged of distributed versus
centralized computing systems
Advantage of distributed: more flexible, efficient, and
more responsive
Advantage of centralized: better consistency, quality
assurance, and standardization
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
12. Looking at our current electricity power
generation model
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Centralized power
plants produce vast
majority of our
electricity.
But centralized
power generation is
very inefficient,
converting only 30%
of energy into
electricity
13. ‘Greener’ Alternative: Distributed power
generation
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Distribute multiple,
smaller generators
closer to power
consumers.
Distributed power
captures ‘waste
heat’ and uses it
for other needs
(heating, hot
water), for ~80%
efficiency
14. SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Co-generation,
or combined
heat and power
Distributed
energy
generation
allows capture of
waste heat for
re-use
15. Co-gen project being installed: These
tanks will hold hot water heated as a
by-product of electrical generation
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
16. Tanks will replace a NYC apartment
building’s use of 30,000 gallons of
diesel fuel to make hot water
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
17. Critical themes for IS and Sustainability
‘Green IT’ – Minimize environmental impact of the data
center, and running technology in general
‘Green IS’ – sophisticated information systems that
monitor and optimize use of resources
IS Educators – develop case studies, exercises, and
materials that give students a richer understanding of
intersection of energy policy, technical design, and
individual choices
Green HCI (next slide)
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
18. ‘Green HCI’
It is much easier to
monitor Facebook
activity compared to
daily energy use
‘Green HCI’ is needed
provide clear and
actionable energy
consumption interfaces
These electric meters
make no sense!
We need ‘Green HCI’
to signal actual energy
use SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
Standard
meter
Smart
meter
19. Meet me in St. Louis!
The breadth of topics in our virtual workshop validate
the critical role IS can play in support of environmental
sustainability.
We have the skills and the duty to work together to
improve sustainable practices
Next up: Pre-ICIS SIGGreen Workshop Dec. 11th
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th
