Does your green IT strategy need a little less talk and a lot more action? Doug Washburn has two recommendations for getting started today.

Despite best intentions, recent research finds that only a tenth of U.K. firms that do have a green IT strategy in place are actually acting on their own recommendations. What's the hold up? Many IT managers point to cost of implementation.

At the same time, it's tough to argue with the potential long-term savings of energy-efficient computing. (Keeping closer track of IT energy costs would probably help make the case here.)

The truth is, a fancy green strategy does not necessarily translate into a concrete action plan, as many IT managers are discovering. Here are two things you can do today to kickstart your journey toward greener, leaner operations:

1. First measure, then manage. While green IT extends far beyond energy efficiency, reducing IT's energy consumption does offer tangible environmental and economic benefits. To get started, we at Forrester recommend that you measure your green IT baseline – an annual estimate of the energy consumption, CO2 emissions and financial costs of operating IT. By exposing the energy "hogs" within and outside of the datacenter, you’ll be able to prioritize what greening projects will offer the most bang for the buck.
2. Determine whether or not you're in compliance. Depending on your location, proper disposal and recycling of IT assets may be required. If you are not in compliance, now is the time to start. And here's a tip to save time and money: Use your vendors, since they're required to help. If you operate in Europe, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers (a.k.a. your hardware vendors).

IT managers who fail to live up to their green promises can – and should - be called on the carpet by their superiors. A strategy is worthless to the enterprise if it's never allowed to get off the ground.

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Doug Washburn is analyst at Forrester Research, where he advises clients on sustainable business and green IT practices and the role of technology in business. He also hosts SLM's Greener IT Update e-newsletter.