Environmental impact of Google searches

[_JP_]

"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."

I don't care what he says, I'm not giving up my tea! But if you do a Google search, you'll come up with plenty of stuff that refutes that article.

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece (http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece)

[thirdeye]

"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."

I don't care what he says, I'm not giving up my tea! But if you do a Google search, you'll come up with plenty of stuff that refutes that article.

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece (http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece)

So as long as I keep using my laptop and not my desktop it's cool right?

I wonder how much carbon dioxide I generate eating my stack of jacks....:biggrin:

[DunEdinRanger]

"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."

I don't care what he says, I'm not giving up my tea! But if you do a Google search, you'll come up with plenty of stuff that refutes that article.

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece (http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece)

And how CO2 does boiling a kettle for a cup tea generate? Also, how much CO2 would be generated if we were doing searched via paper, or driving aimlessly around without googlemaps?

TANSTAAFL, Baby!

[miza_b]

"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."

I don't care what he says, I'm not giving up my tea! But if you do a Google search, you'll come up with plenty of stuff that refutes that article.

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece (http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5489134.ece)

I wonder how much Co2 was generated by people reading this trash. I thought Co2 was ok now because scientists are saying that we are on the brink of another ice age. I say we all rev our Hummers at the stop lights to combat Global Cooling.

[Shane]

I'm rather environmentally conscious, but I just don't buy it.

[kwk285]

This sounds as stupid as a study that I read a few years ago that methane from cow farts contributed to global warming.:biggrin:

[rabidpotatochip]

Without trying to get into a huge environmental debate, it's climate change, not global warming. Due to a changing environment some places get hotter, some get colder, it's not an upward trend across the board.

Anyway, I'm going to paraphrase a post I read on Slashdot the other day: I'd probably produce more CO2 by getting off my ass and driving to the library to look up the information I'm after than I would searching for it on Google.

[Dharion]

I'm rather environmentally conscious, but I just don't buy it.+1 do you know the wattage the kettles have? This is bogus.

[SmoovD]

Would everyone please start googling...it is only 50 degrees here in Fort Worth. There is talk of 20s and 30s the next few days.

Oh, the humanity.

[PaulH]

"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.

Well, that's OK then. Google always finds what I want first time, every time, so no need for a second superfluous search :biggrin:
--
Paul

[rabidpotatochip]

Well, that's OK then. Google always finds what I want first time, every time, so no need for a second superfluous search :biggrin:
--
Paul

Clearly you're drinking too much tea.

[Gruder]

Would everyone please start googling...it is only 50 degrees here in Fort Worth. There is talk of 20s and 30s the next few days.

Oh, the humanity.

:lol::lol::lol: Done. You may expect your heat wave in approximately 5-6 months (transit time from google's CA servers to TX.)

[sol92258]

Would everyone please start googling...it is only 50 degrees here in Fort Worth. There is talk of 20s and 30s the next few days.

Oh, the humanity.
what's google? guess I'll have to search that popular interweb searchy thingy and find out...

[rabidpotatochip]

:lol::lol::lol: Done. You may expect your heat wave in approximately 5-6 months (transit time from google's CA servers to TX.)

Sounds like they're still using IP over Avian Carriers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers). (RFC for you technical people (http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2549)).

[Gruder]

Sounds like they're still using IP over Avian Carriers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers). (RFC for you technical people (http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2549)).

Correct. Did I mention that there might be a bit of bird flu included with your heat wave? No extra charge.

[rabidpotatochip]

Correct. Did I mention that there might be a bit of bird flu included with your heat wave? No extra charge.

I appreciate that. We're still kinda low on cash from when that Mad Cow thing happened.

[SmoovD]

Correct. Did I mention that there might be a bit of bird flu included with your heat wave? No extra charge.

Not worried...I hear bird flu kills fire ants.

[Gruder]

Not worried...I hear bird flu kills fire ants.

Ah yes. The Circle of Life. Brought to you by Google. :wink:

[sol92258]

Ah yes. The Circle of Life. Brought to you by Google. :wink:

and, that's a bit a discomforting thought

[Coyotebd]

The cow farts thing is bogus, most of their methane comes out of their burps.

Besides, humans and all their plastics are as natural as beehives. Way back there was a lot of CO2 and Methane and not much oxygen, then a bunch of bacteria drastically changed the earth's climate.

It's natural for an animal to gain ascendancy because they are able to take advantage of a natural resource, such as some animals being able to eat plants nothing else can eat. Sometimes other pressures keep a lid on the population, othertimes the species over-uses an area and either dies out, or at least is so severely reduced that the resource has time to replenish.

Animals don't care about the ecosystem or other animals, so it's perfectly natural that we don't either.

No matter what changes we make or polution we cause, the earth will survive, life will survive, and since we're so massively distributed across the globe, humans will probably survive.

See, all perfectly natural.

[ouch]

When it comes to the point that my brewing a cup of tea causes an irreversible rise in the sea level, all I can say is, "Surf's up, baby!"

[Bertilak]

Where do you think trees get the O2 they produce?

They turn the "C" into wood and spit the rest out as O2.

Environmentalists used to worry about deforestation. CO2 helps counter that!

[cesium]

Would it be ok if I just stop breathing out for the duration of my google searches?

[Luc]

I saw that yesterday and I was thinking:

1-How much CO2 did they produced to find out that kind of thing?
2-Who paid those guys to do this research?

I hope their next research will be about reducing that number to 4 searchs/kettle... Or something that would help the planet. Maybe I am thinking too hard because it must be impossible to be more efficient while using less energy... duh... :)

[Pig Cat]

Are they just using data from the water being boiled in a kettle?

What about the CO2 produced cleaning the water and pumping it to your tap? What about the CO2 produced picking the tea, packing it and carting it half-way across the world? The packaging, the plastic carrier bag to get it home in. The car journey to and from the supermarket to buy the tea?
There's also CO2 produced getting milk and sugar to your house to mix in to the tea.
The list goes on. I could mention that kettles don't grow on trees...they are made using lots of energy...

Personally I think it is better if we stick to Googling. Perhaps if we all google a picture of a cup of tea in place of drinking one the planet will be saved? :001_rolle

[ouch]

Are they just using data from the water being boiled in a kettle?

What about the CO2 produced cleaning the water and pumping it to your tap? What about the CO2 produced picking the tea, packing it and carting it half-way across the world? The packaging, the plastic carrier bag to get it home in. The car journey to and from the supermarket to buy the tea?
There's also CO2 produced getting milk and sugar to your house to mix in to the tea......


Illustrating once again that the equation is never as simple as portrayed.

Of course, all of the equipment and properties owned by google aren't exactly made of fairy dust.