Intel and Google have joined more than 25 other organizations to form the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, in an effort to bring about a broad-based environmental push to save energy and reduce greenhouse emissions.
This will be achieved by setting some pretty aggressive regulations for all the companies involved, as they're looking to have some new standards set in place by the year 2010. The focus is largely on computers and the surrounding companies involved. The group wants to bring about the adoption of energy-efficient computers and components by doing things like shipping computers with power management settings enabled, and placing an Energy Star logo on the computer indicating its energy-saving capabilities.
Reports show that the average desktop PC wastes nearly half of its power, while the average server wastes one-third of its power. With the combined efforts of all the organizations included in Climate Savers Computing Initiative, the effects, if achieved, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year--the equivalent of removing 11 million automobiles, and saving more than $5.5 billion in energy costs.
This is something we should all pay attention to, and participate in as well. These organizations may be taking steps to better the environment, and individuals can do their part along the way, too. Other companies involved in these efforts include Electronic Data Systems Corporation, eBay, IBM, Red Hat, Starbucks and Sun Microsystems.