Broadening horizons through information technology

Bill Tomlinson's book, Greening through IT: Information Technology for Environmental Sustainability, explores the design and use of IT to address environmental challenges. Tomlinson presents descriptions of three of his projects as evidence of what he classifies as 'Green IT.' He builds a strong case for pushing the problem of environmental degradation to the forefront of research and design in the field of human-computer interaction. Tomlinson does not plead for saving starving orcas or drowning polar bears. Instead, he goes straight to the anthropocentric argument that access to the essentials of healthy human life is under threat. Tomlinson's main assertion is that modern information tools are well poised to help people around the world shift to more sustainable lifestyles. Tomlinson expands on the concept of broadening horizons by developing three categories of horizons, time, space, and complexity. Greening through IT also conducts reflective conceptual investigations of the terms 'sustainability' and 'information technology,' which calls attention to the complexities beneath both label.