How much CO2 does a google search produce if a google search produces CO2? Well, Harvard physicist Alex Wissner-Gross did the math:
... 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.
I mean, their computers are 'impacting the environemnt' no matter what... It seems odd to me that this person is trying to imply that by doing a search, you are hurting the environment.
I seriously doubt that running a search on google makes their computers fart out a little extra CO2.
Just don't think too hard about the salmon.
also, by the time I finish typing this, i will have offset that carbon offset you paid.
also, what the hell is a "developing country"?
All electrical/electronic devices use significantly less power in a 'quiescent' state than they do an in 'active' one.
Just think about how long your cellphone battery lasts when it isn't used to make or recieve calls, emails etc, than it does when it is being heavily used.
Same principle for computers and servers - when they are heavily used they consume much more power (up to the maximum the power supply is rated for) than when they are sitting around humming quietly to themselves.
Check this out: http://gizmodo.com/5047050/google-patents-floating-server-farm-powered-by-ocean-waves
I don't know if they actually have plans to build it, but at least they're thinking!
Way too far?
Bunk. Pure. And. Simple.
And Razor, your analogy is just dumb. You can't compare transmitters and processors.
...perhaps he should consider his own 'carbon footprint' and just eliminate himself from the planet. If all the whiners did the same it would be a much cooler - and quieter - peaceful planet.
and I do think the carbon footprint / green thing has gone way too far.
Try to track down and watch Penn and Teller's show "Bullshit" - the episode about recycling.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/emills/commentary/tempest.html