Globalization and a Green Computing Policy Framework

With globalization rising, much scholarship has presented “a race to the bottom” regarding standards posing serious environmental concerns. This paper considers the debate of globalization leading to a “race to the bottom” or, contrastingly, a “race to the top.” With the growth of information technology and communication, the paper explores existing frameworks to advance green computing in the globalized context. Given a notable void in policy-driven frameworks in the current green computing literature, the paper proposes a comprehensive five-component policy framework to advance green computing, relying on norms and mandates for success. The framework includes the following: 1. Public policy involvement to drive private corporate sustainability. 2. Investment in green technology via government intervention. 3. Industrywide organizations promoting sustainable computing. 4. Proper disposal of computing equipment. 5. Comprehensive industry standards. Ultimately, this framework passionately advocates for the advancement of green computing and encourages further empirical research and evaluation of its respective elements.