While the downturn may have a negative impact on investment in green technologies the news for the environment is not all bad. For instance, often the first cutback businesses make is in corporate travel. Fewer flights and road trips mean less carbon in the air. In this economic environment businesses will look for any way to shave costs and make their workforces more efficient.

One of the best ways to do this is by enabling people to collaborate remotely. Much of the technology is already available – Blackberries, laptops, teleconference and telepresence systems allow for work to be done virtually anywhere. Similarly, Web 2.0 tools can help remote teams stay in touch and collaborate. The savings from a more distributed workforce strategy can be great, both in terms of financial and environmental impact.

One of the leaders in this area is Sun Microsystems, where half of the company’s employees work remotely at least some of the time. The company’s Open Work Platform has allowed it to reduce office space by a sixth while increasing worker productivity by a third. The move has also been good for the environment, preventing 29 000 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere by employees driving to work.

Most companies still do not have the capability to effectively collaborate remotely, but many are experimenting with more flexible approaches to work. As cash strapped businesses look for ways to lower costs by cutting back on travel and offloading physical infrastructure the environmentally friendly virtual workplace might become a perfect option.