A recent article in The Times based on research by Harvard’s Alex Wissner-Gross suggested that performing a Google search created 7g of CO2, or in layman’s terms, performing 2 searches produced as much carbon dioxide as putting the kettle on and making a cup of tea!  In these carbon footprint sensitive times, the article went on to suggest Google’s stance that it is at the “forefront of green computing” may not be quite so accurate given the number of server’s used per search and it’s caginess over it’s energy consumption and carbon footprint. 

This article was published on The Times website on January 11th, it did not take Google long to react.

At 10:48PM on the same day, they posted this retort which refutes those claims and whilst going into much detail on their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, they point out their queries created 0.2g of CO2, a massively reduced figure on the ones previously stated.

It doesn’t end there though, Wissner-Gross then pointed out that in his report he never actually mentioned Google and though he mentioned them in broad terms relating to internet use whilst speaking to the journalist, it would seem the suggestion that Google are an un-environmentally friendly company came from the artistic licence of the Times journalist who penned the article.

Whilst we leave it to Google, The Times and Wissner-Gross to do battle over who said what, this tete a tete shows the increasing importance of the “carbon footprint” in all areas of human life, in particular ones which we may take for granted such as using the internet (and indeed brewing up).

Well done to Google for quickly putting us straight on their stance rather than choosing to simply ignore these claims, this speedy reaction along with their UK Carbon Footprint Project would suggest that even if they are not at the forefront of green computing, they are certainly doing their bit.