Computer servers 'as bad' for climate as SUVs - earth - 03 December 2007 - New Scientist Environment

Computer servers 'as bad' for climate as SUVs - earth - 03 December 2007 - New Scientist Environment:

NewScientist.com news service

Catherine Brahic

Computer servers are at least as great a threat to the climate as SUVs or the global aviation industry, warns a new report.

Global Action Plan, a UK-based environmental organisation, publishes a report today drawing attention to the carbon footprint of the IT industry in the UK.

'Computers are seen as quite benign things sitting on your desk,' says Trewin Restorick, director of the group. 'But, for instance, in our charity we have one server. That server has same carbon footprint as your average SUV doing 15 miles to the gallon. Yet, whereas the SUV is seen as a villain from the environmental perspective, the server is not.'

So much for the hope that a "virtual" economy will have minimal environmental impact!