The public sector has been called for by the Cabinet Office minister Gillian Merron to use information technology (IT) in order to cut carbon emissions. According to Ms Merron, the government departments could also benefit in a similar manner as did the large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises, who have adopted technologies including VoIP telephony.

This can help in cutting carbon emissions down as fewer people have to go to their offices for work because they are able to work just as well from home itself, and thus reduce their carbon footprints. The employees can even use the secure IP PBX or data network of the company for doing their work, if their employer has implemented a unified communications (UC) solution.

As a large numbers of people are employed by the government, Merron said that if such schemes were given the green light, there could be huge savings on carbon produced; and called for suggestion for the perfect implementation of such technologies. If implemented, this can turn to be really a big one!

She said, "We have a responsibility to set a positive example on the environment, so I am asking our IT leaders to work with industry to find new ways to improve the sustainability of government computer systems".

She further said, "This doesn't just mean reducing the amount of electricity they use, but also looking at how they can be designed and built in ways that consume fewer materials and which make recycling easier".