Data collection and exploitation strategies for Green Information Systems

Green information systems (IS) offer organisations many opportunities to improve their environmental performance and data are increasingly central to these solutions. However, big data are not easily handled by traditional data management approaches and pose considerable challenges. For many organisations, the opportunities and challenges of both traditional and big data are not well understood. This chapter elucidates the issues surrounding data collection and use in the context of Green IS and introduces the notion of big data as eco-socio-technical phenomena, where these three intertwined components influence how data are viewed, analysed, and leveraged to address critical environmental concerns. Six use cases are presented to illustrate the value and pitfalls of data within Green IS initiatives at the technological, organisational, and societal levels. To conclude, the chapter discusses future research directions and opportunities for organisations to leverage data for enhancing their environmental sustainability.