There's no getting around it. Greening your datacenter or company (or both) is going to take some adjustment. But at its core, it's an opportunity to get back to business basics, submits Polly Traylor of Datamation. Namely, getting the most output for the least amount of input and profiting from it.

In her article, "Green Computing, Green Revenue", she lays out five steps to not only cut carbon emissions, but also help to you keep more of that hard-earned revenue. In my opinion, step number 3 is the most critical....

3. Get a Professional Energy Audit and Track Energy Use.

Yes, this will cost you money – anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, according to Jerry Lawson, national manager of Energy Star. However, if your business is going to be around for a long time, hiring an auditor might be a wise investment. "We believe you can't manage what you can't measure," he says.

Grab the rest of the steps here.