CDW: Cost still outweighs concern in green IT deployment

I’ve heard anecdotally that many small businesses are less eager to embrace green technology than their larger counterparts. But I was shocked by new CDW survey that indicates only 35 percent of government agencies have implemented green tech strategies, while only 39 percent have any plans to do so during the next two years.

Consider that the very existence of the EPEAT database (stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) was designed with government buyers in mind. It could be, of course, that CDW’s government customers are primarily from the state and local level, while federal agencies are more prone to green tech procurement policies.

The CDW Green IT survey covered approximately 1,041 IT decision makers.

Other findings: - Approximately 64 percent of respondents from large companies have a green tech strategy in place already, compared with 47 percent of midsize enterprises and 27 percent of small businesses. - The smallest companies were less likely to deploy green tech than anyone else: Approximately 43 percent of the respondents from that segment said they have no plans to deploy green tech within the next two years. - Despite claims from the biggest high-tech vendor suppliers that green tech won’t cost customers more, about 51 percent of the IT decision makers surveyed by CDW mentioned cost as their biggest concern related to green tech strategy.

Sounds like a disconnect to me.