Cows and Coffee
I was reading a Science and Technology article on my google homepage today (warning: it's in Spanish) that claims every two times you Google one of your burning questions, Google produces the same amount of CO2 in answering as is produced when heating up a cup of instant coffee. (This is not a knock against Google, whom I'd marry if it was a he.) Google, in fact, was quick to point out that just the mere fact of having your computer connected to the Internet at all (whether you're Googling or busy cursing at Spider Solitaire) produces even *more* CO2 in the same amount of time as any two Google searches. Given that there's 200 million Google searches in any given day--and a whole lot more of other 'net shenanigans going on whilst not Googling--that sounds like a helluva lot of C02.
Given the technologically addicted nature of the world at large (and myself in particular) however, I'm not sure what we can/will/should do about it...
Thoughts?
P.D.
In response to the question about the gender of the cow... The cow was actually a cow-cow, not a bull. (So... a "she".)
Let's be friends!
8 comments--Add your own!!:
There's also blackle, the energy saving google.
http://www.blackle.com/
Of course, it only deals with the carbon consumption on one end of the pipe (yours, in the monitor).
Oops! Guess I just failed Animal Husbandry 101.
*Bill hangs his head in shame*
*And goes off to google "cows" in blithe disregard of possible CO2 production*
I'll have to go find the source again but I read an interesting study/poll that came to the conclusion that people who are energy-aware and try to reduce their carbon footprint are much much more likely to have holidays abroad - travelling in huge aircraft undoing any of the minor benefits they might have brought to the environment with their energy saving lightbulbs.
The connection was pegged as education level, which makes sense. But it did give me pause for thought
Don't worry about it, Erica. Water vapor makes up 95% of all greenhouse gases and CO2 about 3 and a half percent. CO2 is being criminalized by merchants on the stock exchange bartering in pollution credits, and world wide organizations looking to tax people for a made up crisis. Remember, anything you exhale can't be all bad. :)
Wow, I didn't know that. Not only do I use Google at home, but I use at my day job as well.
Hey, it may just be my computer (both home and the day job one), but when I come to your blog the left nav is overlapping part of the post and I have to go to the comments and read the post there. Like I said, may just be mine, but in case it isn't I thought you might want to know. :)
Jus a quick note to agree with Vicki. It's been happening since you got back from CR. It's a function of screen size: on a super-large screen, no problem. On a more normal-sized screen, the post is eclipsed. I've been having to use Vicki's work-around, too, reading the post from the comment section. Great minds, Vicki! :)
Grr. I think it's because I added the "Follow This Blog" link (it's the only thing that changed.)
Is it still messed up?
Nope - looks good. Thanks!
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