The coal track of the Internet.

Microsoft proudly announces that it promotes the efficient use of computing resources. " Is better, because usually make IT companies other headlines: News Google is once again in the pillory, because the Web has long produced more CO2 than the aviation industry.

 

The physicist Alex Wissner-Gross of Harvard University is a distinguished man, if such an environment concerns in the crisp formula pouring any search on Google caused a pollutant emission of 7 grams of CO2, then, the press likes to refer to. "Enthüllt," the headline in Britain's "Times":
"The environmental impact of Google Search." And before expects that with two Google searches a kettle to heat water could.

DPA
Internet eats energy, causing emissions at all points of the communication process: Here to reduce serves all

That sounds drastic: What Wissner-Gross as relatives, however, is composed of many factors, including not only the energy hunger of the Google server park belongs, but also the power of the local computer, the energy requirements of all participating providers and - if he expects clean - The proportion of production costs for the machinery involved. Quite possible that since a seven-gram lump of coal harder comes out - difficult enough to be painfully felt, if it is someone strong enough to raise his head. Is the goal of Google, it will be perceived.

That in turn should Mr. Wissner-Gross pleased, because the business does so incidentally, Web entrepreneurs a green jacket to sell
by giving them contracts for the supply of green power offers. What in turn, publicly announced its recognition as an effective advertising outet, but not generally discredited: The problem is well known and not by the hand. Our growing electronic communications desire is reflected in the LCA is now heavier than the weight down so often oltenen of aviation industry.

New is not everything

A scandal is the fact, however, not designed, and it is not sensational news. Estimates of what our IT use, which use the Internet to CO2 emissions, it has during the past year, many people - even in relation to Google. The IT companies take a long time is true, that the issue be detrimental to their image can be.

The CO2 emissions, they actually cause themselves, they may also in its ever-growing electricity bills, see: There is therefore a mixture of Ökobewusstsein, image advertising and healthy economic interests when companies such as Google or Microsoft in "green" server technology investing. The last Cebit not devoted to the topic of about one topic. And Google has long been concerned with the issue.

The company points out the greenest ever server parks to maintain. And also responded promptly and dünnhäutig on the "Times" article: manager Urs Hölzle
made in the Google blog that after Google's opinion, the estimates of Wissner-Gross were completely covered. A Google search of course caused CO2 emissions, but rather in the range of 0.2 grams per search - Wissner-Gross is 35-times as high.

The solution: Less eat burgers

Probably both figures can somehow conclusively substantiated. And also quite different: that a Google search one to ten grams, or seven to ten grams eat, cited the "Times" itself from other sources, the mere fact that viewing a PC screen from 40 to 80 grams per hour causing emissions. That a single "Second Life" avatar 1752 kilowatt hours per year.

Even if Google, with its 0,2 grams per search closer to the truth would be, would still be prohibitively large sums out. No wonder that only computer now for about two percent of all the climate should be responsible, as the market research firm Gartner calculated wants.

Google countered all this with the car argument. A car emittiere in the best case 140 grams of CO2 per kilometer. One kilometer drive cradle that is thousands of Google searches "on. Calculated is also not entirely, but still prefers the argument: the emissions, electronic communications and Internet usage cause, the opposite, which is thereby avoided. By not just goes to library, not only between four shops commutes in order to compare prices, not on suspicion recherchierend sources ordered under ten wrong, post zugelieferten, the right to find. By online pre before the really big CO2 emissions set in motion.

Sure, green would be better, but a little less hysteria, too. At the point but the
Jason Kincaid of Techcrunch in his own personal CO2 offsetting. A cheeseburger, he says, have a CO2 footprint of 3600 grams - and so far, far more than he weighs. Who's with a clear conscience at Google wants to browse and search, he suggested, should eat less burgers.