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Google turns off the lights for Earth Hour today
Now here's the thing, last year there a minor controversy over whether Google should permanently change its background to black in order to save energy. The theory is that it takes less energy to display a black background than a white one. But while that might have been somewhat true a few years ago when most computer users had cathode ray tube monitors, it actually takes more energy to display a black background on some modern LCD displays. So umm, essentially Google's black web page today could be contributing to an increase in energy use.
Hopefully if the move prompts a few folks to think about energy conservation, there'll be a net gain. But umm, seriously, Google, why go out of your way to debunk the myth of a energy-saving black Google last year just to promote it yourself today?
Comments
16
Subscribe to commentsarchpopeMar 29th 2008 3:04PM
I think it looks better this way. They should keep it black to promote goth day or somesuch.
whiskeyMar 29th 2008 4:13PM
Most of the world does not have fancy LCD monitors!
StevenMar 29th 2008 4:39PM
Earth Hour has to be the worst idea to come out of the camp of tree huggers. I think I'm going to turn ON everything I have tonight from 8-10pm.
RumbleMar 29th 2008 5:36PM
You sound like a nice guy.
StevenMar 29th 2008 5:36PM
Just being honest.
julianMar 29th 2008 10:26PM
i get it if you dont want to change your habits but why would you try to counteract others actions
RichMar 29th 2008 10:44PM
Its a dumb idea because it uses more energy when everything gets turned back on then it would to simply leave them on.
The sentiment is nice but in practice its a bad idea.
BufsabreMar 30th 2008 8:07AM
thats exactly what i did, i live in buffalo and we get out power from the falls, i have some of the cleanest electricity in the world
and @rich
not true at all, theyve done studies cause thats not even close to being true, most devices only take about 2-3 seconds to extra power to get to operating condition. well this is true unless you use alot of hair curlers and waflle irons and other things with heat coils but i mean honestly those dont even take *THAT* long
RocketboyMar 30th 2008 2:14PM
Buff: I live in WNY as well, and I hate to break it to you, but most of our power comes from the coal plants in the area. Most of the electricity from the Robert Moses plant goes downstate. Because you should know by now, NY is the great parasite on NYS.
RED_404Mar 29th 2008 10:26PM
If you like that checkout http://hell.com/xit.html
Its my default home page :)
AntonMar 30th 2008 10:03AM
While Google scolds the rest of the world about turning off the lights, we should turn our attention to this month’s Harper’s, which has an interesting look at Google’s plans to exploit cheap electricity in Oregon. Thanks to a boatload of government subsidies, Google located its new server farm on the Columbia River — where it will use enough electricity to light Tacoma, Washington.
But that’s not the best part. According to Harper’s, Google and its competitors have now started building data centers in places like Lithuania, Dublin, Siberia, and Shanghai. What do all these locations have in common? Except for Lithuania, where 78% of the power will be nuclear, all of them rely on carbon-spewing energy production with lower prices and fewer controls on emissions. So much for Earth Hour, eh?
http://harpers.org/media/slideshow/annot/2008-03/index.html
EthanMar 30th 2008 12:25PM
come on Download Squad, it is the thought that counts. Don't get caught up in the details and look at the big picture. That is how you should go through your entire life.
RocketboyMar 30th 2008 2:16PM
It's not the thought that counts. Is if one's actions actually mean anything.
BenMar 30th 2008 3:15PM
It's amazing how people are suckered into these plans as if they do any good... seems its also the same people who believe global warming is still occurring and co2 is actually a dangerous emission. Read the news people! Al Gore is wrong! (not to mention the fact that his carbon footprint is bigger than some small towns due to his hummer, private jets, private tour buses, etc).
VTFootballMar 31st 2008 2:35PM
I was setting up a friends network this past weekend and I went to google when I setup the network and saw this page. I was sitting there thinking I wonder if the graphics card went bad, but I guess not.
Sanjay John G.Apr 7th 2008 5:26PM
A site which has offered search in various background colors, including black, is www.searchincolor.com
I love the green on white and the blue on white...or reverse, very nice.
Sanjay