How green is cyberspace? PART TWO

I was recently reading an article by Al Gore. The opening paragraph of the article for me highlighted a profound point; the one common basis between cyberspace and the real world is time. We both function under the same restrictions of time and time changes both worlds. In the physical world, Gore highlights how the ongoing march of time is presenting the world with disastrous consequences:

In cyberspace and elsewhere, 24 hours is a day. But in the global environment -- where change is always pressing its foot on the accelerator -- those 1,440 precious minutes can be a lifetime. In the time it takes to complete this first 24 Hours in Cyberspace, 31,507 acres of rain forest will be destroyed, 74 species will vanish, 16 million tons of carbon will be pumped into the air, and people will generate more than 700,000 tons of garbage.

But further on in the piece, Gore explores the fascinating relationship between the actions in an online space and positive reactions for our environment.

This insight inspired me to consider how we, as foot soldiers in this environmental war, take steps to harness the weaponry of the Internet.

So here are ten ways you and the Internet can save the planet:

1. Pay your bills online – many bills and statements can be viewed and paid online to reduce the amount of paper used to print and the transport used to deliver

2. Work from home – this reduces greenhouse emissions from your cars, bikes as you commute to work and the number of disposable coffee cups you through in the bin each morning.

3. Video conference – with all the fabulous technology available, the need to travel overseas for business conferences is reducing. Save jet fuel and set up a video link up

4. Turn off the lights - backlighting in computer screens eliminates the need for turning on the lights in the house as you work

5. Get another job - 24 hour access means an opportunity to literally work around the clock. Find an employer in another country and work for them by night. The extra money you are earning can be used to support environmental causes close to your heart

6. Sign up to World of Warcraft - become so absorbed in the virtual world that you don’t shower for three days

7. Download where possible – reduce packaging and transport costs and download software, music, books and movies (legally, of course)

8. Shop online – don’t drive your car to the sops, surf the web instead. When ordering goods take the option of having them delivered all together to minimise impact of separate transport costs

9. Recycle – use eBAy to get rid of all that old stuff that you have lying around the house, and make a bit of money in the process!

10. Network – get involved in online communities that environmentally active and aware. Find new ideas and get involved with community projects.
But always remember – save power, turn off your computer (not just put it on standby) when you are not using it.

If this all looks too hard, you might like to try this approach: