The Official Google Blog has just a published a brief explanation of the company’s environmental footprint. Saying that, contrary to the recent report, one Google search does not produce that high amount of CO2 (0.7 grams), but only 0.2 grams.
To prove that the company has enviromental programs aimed at protecting the environment, the post explained that Google is a fast search engine and it takes only 0.2 seconds to return search results and compared Google search’s energy consumption to the amount of energy that a body burns in ten seconds. It also reiterated that Google’s data centers are energy efficient and the energy produced when doing search in Google produces a very minimal amount of energy.
In fact, Google was so into the welfare of the environment that it invested $45 million in clean energy technologies in 2008 through the Google.org. In addition, Google has also established the Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal Initiative (RE<C) which was tasked to explore clean energy and the Climate Savers Computing Initiate which pushes efficient computing and aimed at cutting energy consumption of computers by half in 2010.
We got to give credit to Google for issuing an official statement such as this one despite the fact that it can choose to simply ignore the research finding made by Harvard University physicist Alex Wissner-Gross. I bet Mr. Wissner-Gross would be more glad if he does not receive any communication or reaction from Google. That way, CO2 would not be produced and the environment will not be affected.
Hey Arnold,
I must admit, I was a little concerned when I read today a comment in the newspaper stating if you want to save the planet from climate change, cut your Google searches!
According to this article, performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea. The article follows research conducted by scientists at Harvard University.
Reading a little more on the subject, there seems to be some debate in regards to how big an impact a Google search has on the environment. Having said this I’m sure most people will agree that the impact of a single Google search needn’t be so large to cause an environmental impact, when you take into consideration the amount of Google searches conducted every day.
Reading your post has put my consciousness at ease some. It’s good to know that Google does consider issues such as these and takes massive steps to help improve the environment rather than follow blind commercialism.
When company’s such as Google actively work to improve not just the inner workings of their business, but also the environment, surely that bodes well for all of us and where we are heading as responsible beings?
Annie
http://www.AnnMarieDennis.com
http://twitter.com/AnnMarieDennis
The question if we really economizing, when we are going to library and search for information.