Physicist Says Google Searches Bad for the Earth
Physicist Alex Wissner-Gross says that performing two Google searches uses up as much energy as boiling the kettle for a cup of tea
Jonathan Leake and Richard Woods
Click here for how to reduce the footprint of the Web
Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.
While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of CO2 Boiling a kettle generates about 15g. “Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power,” said Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard University physicist whose research on the environmental impact of computing is due out soon. “A Google search has a definite environmental impact.”
Google is secretive about its energy consumption and carbon footprint. It also refuses to divulge the locations of its data centres. However, with more than 200m internet searches estimated globally daily, the electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions caused by computers and the internet is provoking concern. A recent report by Gartner, the industry analysts, said the global IT industry generated as much greenhouse gas as the world’s airlines - about 2% of global CO2 emissions. “Data centres are among the most energy-intensive facilities imaginable,” said Evan Mills, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Banks of servers storing billions of web pages require power.
Rest of article
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/ar...
Google has specifically made
Google has specifically made an effort to build their data centers where renewable energy sources are present (hydroelectric, solar, wind). It is within their interests to do so to keep down their energy costs.
This article is really ridiculous as at least they are attempting to lessen their environmental impact. Should we just give up the Internet altogether?
I'm glad
I use yahoo.
*facepalm*
...
CHA-CHING!
just
kidding
Thank
god. Kinda funny I guess...
CHA-CHING!
This is a because bump!
because of the comments!
I just made 10 google searches to see if this is true!
.
You just cooked a
You just cooked a turkey!!!!!
...
Someone pass the stuffing and the cranberry sauce!
New math!
What are you fightin' for?
Caught in the middle?
Freedom is only for those with the guts to defend it!
lol
funny*
Oh, that'll cost ya some tea! ;-)
New math!
What are you fightin' for?
Caught in the middle?
Freedom is only for those with the guts to defend it!
Could a tax on Internet searches
Be the cause of the Next Boston Tea Party?
Find out if you have a local militia - http://www.uaff.us/
Real Patriots for 9/11 truth -- http://patriotsquestion911.com/
The Google Tea Party! I LIKE it!!
New math!
What are you fightin' for?
Caught in the middle?
Freedom is only for those with the guts to defend it!
Well, what would
use more energy. Driving to five stores looking for what you want and not finding it or google it buy it and have it delivered?
Prepare & Share the Message of Freedom through Positive-Peaceful-Activism.
Is he the same academic who studied the use of
toilet paper?
Has he considered Suicide?
He produces Co2 by living and spewing his bullshit online maybe he should consider dying to 'save the earth'.
"Greater than the force of mighty armies is the power of an idea whose time has come"
- Victor Hugo
"Greater than the force of mighty armies is the power of an idea whose time has come"
- Victor Hugo
There's nothing at all wrong with C02
and the entire idea that we want to reduce and control it is the most utter hogwash that has ever emanated from anybody's pie-hole.
If they want to reduce C02, and it's that important to them, then let them shut their moronic flapping lips.
Greater CO2 content
equals greater crop yield. Lower CO2 content equals lower crop yield. Hmmm, I think they might want to put us on a diet ;-)
New Hampshire and Ecuador
I need a CO2 Generator for my greenhouse ...
They say it increases the crop by 25%! Now I know where to get one!
I'll go for a couple cups of tea with my google searches thank
you very much! Google and tea...a winning combo if there ever WAS one! LOL
New math!
What are you fightin' for?
Caught in the middle?
Freedom is only for those with the guts to defend it!
I remember when bored teens would hop in their cars
and cruise the strip, hooking up with their friends. I spent the better part of an evening watching this pastime in a small town. It was pretty funny. They couldn't just cruise up and down the main street. They had to stop and do something (talk to friends, buy a softdrink, look under somebody's open hood) before hopping into the car and heading to the other end of the strip. I wonder how many cups of tea we've "saved" by having teens cruising the Internet instead.
http://bugguide.net/user/view/1611
New Hampshire and Ecuador
Shutdown of the web in 3..2...
How many paid off PhD's does it take to limit the amount of google searches?
Maybe it's a good sign that CentCom can't keep track of monitoring everyone's google searches.
Here's his bio:
http://www.alexwg.org/
Alex Wissner-Gross is an Environmental Fellow at Harvard University. He has authored 14 publications, received 82 national and international distinctions, been issued 7 full and pending patents, and founded 4 companies. His research has been covered in Technology Review, BusinessWeek, USA Today, Scientific American, and The New York Times. In 2003, Alex became the last person in MIT history to receive a triple major, with bachelors in Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics, while graduating first in his class from the MIT School of Engineering. In 2007, Alex received his Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard for work on programmable surfaces, which dramatically increased the computational versatility of a range of materials. Before his science and technology career, Alex performed as a boy soprano with the New York City Opera.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Start getting freedom today by dumping Federal Reserve Notes, Stocks, Banks and anything made outside the USA. Buy precious metals, real estate, businesses, food and guns and get your business community to use local or sound currenc
Well the boy soprano
knows how to sing for his supper!!
It's amazing, but I've always been surprised that no matter HOW many degrees, some people STILL manage to be assholes.
Hey, you don't think he was just kidding, do ya?
PhD=
Piled Higher and Deeper
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Start getting freedom today by dumping Federal Reserve Notes, Stocks, Banks and anything made outside the USA. Buy precious metals, real estate, businesses, food and guns and get your business community to use local or sound currenc
We need a google tax.
Maybe we could pay it right at the bank.
Explore Orthodox Christianity
i hear that breathing is a carbon generating process
should we stop?
Only if you wanna die that much faster!
New math!
What are you fightin' for?
Caught in the middle?
Freedom is only for those with the guts to defend it!
I said this awhile ago
But I think the goal is this
When will life itself become taxed. The act of breathing will be labeled bad for the environment. You're a carbon emitter. You are destroying the environment. The only way to save the environment is to pay for your transgressions. In the name of saving the planet. Thus we will tax you an across the board basic tax for breathing. For every hour that you are alive you will be taxed 10 cents.It doesn't matter if you do not like it. All we have to do is make it law. That is not a hurdle for us. Bailout anyone? Of course we will just take it out of your paycheck. When and wherever you find work we will be there to tax your life. Hey, you have to work to live. When you do we will tax your life. Easy as that. If you do not compile you will be labeled an eco- terrorist and arrested without due-process of the "law". You will be prisoned until your loved ones can pay off your tax debt for living. Oh and they better hurry. While your with us your tax does not go away. We tax you until your balance is adjusted to current. Then we will allow you to go.
Reminds me of an old Beatle tune ...
"The Tax Man". He taxes everything. "If you drive too fast I'll tax your gas. If you drive too far I'll tax your car. If you use the street I'll tax your feet, 'cuz I'm the Tax Man ..."
is there a surcharge for yawning?