Harper’s Bazaar’s publication of Ginger Strand’s, “Keyword: Evil - Google’s Addiction to Cheap Energy,” refers to the electricity-hungry Internet and uses Google’s new data center on the Dalles, OR as its primary example. With some variation in energy management practices, “addiction to cheap energy” would be an applicable term for any of the Industry Giants employing server farms.
Critique #1: The thesis of her argument is that Google is evil for cutting energy costs and explains with a series of interesting statistics. Its a good read, you should check it out. I am going to bring it as required reading for my Geography class. I believe that renewable energy sources, as a mode of economic sustanence, should be exploited and harvested like our other dirtier energy sources. I see this story as indicative of Google as an energy leader. leading the way. What does that say about the American Energy System if if has actually become more cost-effective to heavily invest in an alternative energy infrastructure rather than rely on existing electrical grid indefinitely?
Critique #2: There was a brief mention of how much energy was created, but a key piece seemed missing. That is, by unintended implication, it makes those of us who are loyal Google users, evil as well. Collectively, it is our clicks that generate the significant amount of energy usage. I see no evil in cutting your costs while demonstrating the economic feasibility of alternative energy sources.
Critique #3: The Blueprints depicting Google’s Data Center…are the proof that the Web is no ethereal store of ideas.
While I believe the Internet as a commerce of ideas is solid, it is still dependent on Energy as any other heavy Industry. Strand desccribes it as a “a new heavy industry, a glutton….” Consider for a moment, Treehugger’s story that the average avatar in Second Life uses as much energy as the average person in Brazil. Perhaps “gluttons” is apt, but there is little doubt that these Giants provide a service unique to human history. Having energy needs does not contradict the service they provide and believe that these companies form the current infrastructure of the Commerce of Ideas.
Google is a propenent of renewable energy projects from a purely capitalist position, to cut future costs. If the economics of renewable energy works for them, why call them evil for participating in such a revolution?
