Google Israel went black on Thursday to celebrate Earth Hour and today in the United States, Google has gone black here in a global effort to remind cities and people to turn off their lights for one hour and spread the awareness of energy conservation.
The Google Black concept was first started to try and convince Google that going black will save energy across the world (black vs. white Google homepage).
Last year Google went black in San Francisco to raise awareness for the Lights Out San Francisco campaign.
Google does have the positiion that blackening the Google screen does not save power, but they have done so to boost awareness of energy conservation. So, even though Google has gone black, it looks like they will go back to their traditional homepage tomorrow.
Google cited a study and their positioning on blackening Google last year :
One idea, suggested by the site called “Blackle” (which is not related to Google, by the way, though the site does use our custom search engine), is to reduce energy used by monitors by providing search with a black background. We applaud the spirit of the idea, but our own analysis as well as that of others shows that making the Google homepage black will not reduce energy consumption. To the contrary, on flat-panel monitors (already estimated to be 75% of the market), displaying black may actually increase energy usage. Detailed results from a new study confirm this.
If you want Google Black all of the time, try Blackle, which uses the Google Custom Search Engine service to serve Google resutls on a black screen.
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Comments
17 responses so far ↓
Chris Blackwell on Mar 29, 2008 at 9:07 am
I absolutely love this! I really support Earth Hour and encourage everyone to take part. I love it when companies take part and set an example for the public. The majority of the population today will see why Google is blacked out, thank you Google!
Nice Deception on Mar 29, 2008 at 9:17 am
Nice deception Google. Let’s face it. Google are no longer hip. They are a global corp like MS who are trying to be hip. Google’s motto of “Do no evil” is done and dusted. They do evil, and they are evil. The sooner MS buys Yahoo and shoves some competition in Google’s face the better. Until then, people open your eyes because Google is deceiving you.
Tom on Mar 29, 2008 at 10:54 am
I wonder what the real cost of powering down all of the lighting and then repowering it is.
Odds are the use of energy to make turn everything off and then back on will be greater than that saved. Another self serving gesture that does not make a difference at all.
Mike on Mar 29, 2008 at 11:38 am
I think that it earth hour is a great idea and I don’t see why companies adn cities can’t leave all non essential lights off all of the time.
Beaumoi on Mar 29, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Look at it in the big picture. This effort is making people around the globe aware that there really is a problem.
The end result in short: more consumers will think more along the lines of power conservation and green power rather then just continuing to ignore it. More vendors will want to research and make more energy efficent and green products. Yes, perhaps more carbon could and will be produced by this effort, but in the long run, which is really the point of this all if you ask me, we will find that the benefits far outweigh any little negative difference that this effort may cause.
Nick on Mar 29, 2008 at 12:46 pm
The only problem is that if you are using an LCD screen, black uses much more power. CRT screens are the only ones that benefit, and those are becoming pretty obsolete.
Watt on Mar 29, 2008 at 3:43 pm
why not turn off all our computers and tv’s for good
Victoria's Secret Models on Mar 29, 2008 at 4:20 pm
If I run my laptop on a battery for 2 hours, does this count? To be honest I can’t see how this will do any good. Oh, well…
Robinsun on Mar 30, 2008 at 1:58 am
It is just a message to all the people and we should convert into action. ;)
Ben on Mar 30, 2008 at 7:05 pm
When I saw the Black google, at about 2am, it freeked me out… I then read the google post… what a clever marketing way! I was impressed!
CBR on Mar 30, 2008 at 8:09 pm
It’s good free PR for them, I wonder what effect if any it had on user behaviour. Now that would be interesting data.
SEOContest208 on Mar 30, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Wow, I turned off all my lights and everything that runs electricity. So I missed the black Google *LOL*
Xianhong on Mar 30, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I went to my iGoogle page yesterday, I was strange that the page is black, but i found the Earth Hour in that page, It is good to know that.
Toboc on Mar 31, 2008 at 12:58 am
Nice Deception,
You have made enough allegations on Google. But nothing in detail. Please can you make it clear how Google are deceiving us?
Jacques - Web Design on Mar 31, 2008 at 1:38 am
Us technology types are increasing seen as energy hogs, so PR campaigns like Google is pulling here, showing solidarity with concepts like Earth Hour, is awesome indeed! Hats off to Google for caring (or at least pretending to) enough to create awareness, even if there is no real inherent energy saving in going black!!!
Sarah on Apr 21, 2008 at 3:54 am
There also seams to be a website that encourages support for Breast Cancer. It’s called www.FindItGirlfriend.com
It’s a super pink Google for girls.
Robert on Apr 29, 2008 at 12:37 am
I also liked iDarkle.com.
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