[LINK] The planet needs a new internet.

[Tom Worthington]

On 28/8/19 9:32 pm, Antony Broughton Barry wrote:

> https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2019/08/the-planet-needs-a-new-internet/

Just the planet? Vint Cerf, “Father of the Internet”, visited Canberra 
and talked about the interplanetary Internet. He suggested the 
interplanetary Internet could also be used in disaster management: 
https://youtu.be/huUDdOpeYe8?t=1713

In terms of the Internet on earth, only a small fraction of its capacity 
is used for safety critical services, and so needs to be hardened 
against disasters brought about by climate change.

Compared to the other problems from human induced rising temperatures, 
keeping data centers cool is trivial.

There are ways to reduce the energy use, and therefore the carbon 
emissions caused by computers and telecommunications. I facilitated a 
workshop on "How Green is My Computer?", at the <2 degrees Renewable 
Innovation Hub, in Canberra in July: 
http://www.tomw.net.au/How_Green_is_My_Computer/presentation.shtml

The essentials to reducing computer energy use are simple (but don't 
tell my students): use the smallest computer you can, use it intensively 
when it is on, switch it off when you don't need it, and hold off on 
buying a new one.

Also keep in mind it is possible to use computers and telecommunications 
to reduce the energy use, and carbon emissions, from other activities.

More in the 12 week course: "ICT Sustainability: Assessment and 
Strategies for a Low Carbon Future" 
http://www.tomw.net.au/ict_sustainability/


-- 
Tom Worthington, MEd FHEA FACS CP http://www.tomw.net.au +61(0)419496150
TomW Communications Pty Ltd. PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Prof. Standards Legislation

Honorary Lecturer, Computer Science, Australian National University 
https://cecs.anu.edu.au/research/profile/tom-worthington