A Harvard University physicist says a typical search on a desktop computer generates about 7 grams of carbon dioxide, which is comparable to bringing a kettle to boil, according to a report Sunday in The Times of London. And while that doesn't sound like a lot, the report notes that Google handles about 200 million searches daily.
"Google operates huge data centers around the world that consume a great deal of power," Alex Wissner-Gross told the newspaper. "A Google search has a definite environmental impact."
The global IT industry generates about 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, or about as much greenhouse gas as the world's airlines, according to a recent Gartner study cited by the newspaper.
