From the UK Times Online:
Revealed: the environmental impact of Google searches
Physicist Alex Wissner-Gross says that performing two Google searches uses up as much energy as boiling the kettle for a cup of tea
Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.
While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, 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.”
Shoot, I use Google so much it's probably the daily equivalent of making a barrel of tea. It wouldn't surprise me to find that my computer habits waste the energy it takes to broil a cow. Come to think of it, I drink a couple cups of tea per Google search anyway, so I'm doubly dangerous to the environment.
Good Grief.
EDIT: Anytime "tea" is mentioned is the time for my tea joke:
Didja hear about the Indian chief who drank a hundred cups of tea?
They found him dead the next morning, drowned in his tepee.
EDIT: Also read where there was "outrage" over Prince Harry's recent remarks. My callous and insensitive joke above where I referred to Native Americans as "Indians" made me realize that I'm just as bigoted as "the spare".
Good.
God Bless Harry, God Save the Queen, God Bless the U.K., God Bless us one and all except for the ragheads who want to kill us.
Just saw this:
STRANGE AND GOOFY HOUSES! - TEA CUP?
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