[LINK] Carbon Neutral Linux Computers, Canberra, 21 November 2007

[Rick Welykochy]

Tom Worthington wrote:

> Topic: Carbon Neutral Linux Computers

[SNIP]

> A study sponsored by the Australian Computer Society has shown that 
> computers and telecommunications equipment in Australia generated 7.94Mt 
> of carbon dioxide in 2005, 1.52% of national emissions. The ACS issued a 
> Policy Statement for Green ICT, which includes suggestions on 
> initiatives ICT professionals, government, consumers and ICT 
> manufacturers can take to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions 
> attributable to the use of ICT equipment. Tom Worthington, chair of the 
> ACS Green IT Group, will discuss options available and demonstrate a new 
> low power "thin client" computer using a "carbon neutral" processor.

One wonders if and by how much the use of computer technology has offset
and/or saved on carbon emissions in other sectors. Without the use of
computer automation, bookkeeping, monitoring, control etc. would there
be comparatively more emissions in industry and at the domestic level?

Surely this must be the case, since microprocessors are being deployed
in more and more consumer products to provide "greener" white goods, to
monitor and advise on power useage, etc. How does one quantify the effect
of leveraging emissions caused by using computers against not using them
in the first place?

That is not to say that we can be flippant and ignore the emissions caused
by computer technology. Your typical desktop system nowadays has "super
computer power" and could easily support a dozen thin clients and still
have breathing space.

One of my clients is looking into replacing full blown desktops in smaller
libraries (used for OPAC catalogue in the main) with a single host and
perhaps six thin clients.


cheers
rickw



-- 
_________________________________
Rick Welykochy || Praxis Services

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.
It's already tomorrow in Australia.
      -- Charles Schultz