In my companion blog post on Why Apps Are Green, I talked about how apps permit the use of lighter IT infrastructure like mobile phones to accomplish things we previously used to do just on PCs. Mobile phones use much less electricity than PCs, and another benefit is that they make Internet and IT readily available in developing countries.

Another way that apps can be green is because some of them do environmental things. There's a surprising array of them actually. Planet Green's 7 Best Green Apps for Mobile Phones are a good example.

Earlier this month, we asked you to share ideas for using cloud computing to run nonprofits, libraries, and social enterprises around the world. Cloud computing is the term for the services and applications we use over the internet. We wanted to learn the ways that others are already using these web-based tools, services, and infrastructure to make their IT more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Below, we've compiled all of the community responses for this month's Net2 Think Tank!

This month, we're featuring several opportunities for NetSquared Community members to share ideas and best practices for using the cloud. We're featuring three expert cloud posts from Keisha Taylor, as well as a Linkedin discussion on key issue areas, and an opportunity to share your thoughts for this month's Net2 Think Tank. 

Here's an overview and how you can get involved:

We’re interested in the cloud! Each day last week, we featured a question on Linkedin about how you’re using the cloud. We asked for community input on several key cloud-related questions to get a feeling for some of the key issues and solutions that being used today. Below we share the community answers, including some really enlightening findings!

We invite you to share the best ways to use the cloud to run nonprofits, libraries, and social enterprises. Cloud computing is the term for the services and applications we use over the internet. It's been a hot topic for some time, and today many of it's promises are coming true. For many organizations, cloud computing is a great way to save money and reduce on software and hardware needs, and it is usually much greener than traditional boxed software.

So, how is your organization using the cloud, and why? Share your best practices with the NetSquared Community as part of this month's Net2 Think Tank!

Hi:  I'm Senior Manager for Planning and Analysis for TechSoup Global. I'm focused on strategic planning and program business planning for our social enterprises. In recent months, I've been looking into how the cloud and other new technology trends can be leveraged by civil society and how TechSoup Global should change its programs to respond to technology and industry changes.

The term cloud computing is being used more and more, but what is it and why should you understand it? In this free webinar we will explain what cloud computing means, define the different types, discuss how it is impacting nonprofits and libraries, and outline some criteria for use. The challenges of using the “cloud” will be discussed, as well as whether cloud computing will simplify your life and reduce software and IT staffing costs.

I recently watched "Us Now", a one hour feature about how collaborative tools can help us make better decisions.

Interesting examples, many of them new