We just discovered an interesting collaboration between the Danish Government and Google/YouTube to raise awareness of the importance of global climate change and inspire the public to get involved. The channel includes a number of interesting videos, with testimonials from activists, leaders and even celebrities, including Jet Li and Desmond Tutu.
Be sure to check out Fleishman-Hillard’s new COP15 section, Countdown to Copenhagen, on our sustainability Web site. Our practice group leaders will be on-site during this important gathering. You can catch our COP15 tweets by following the #FHCOP15 tag or by following us @FHSustain.
Costs for solar power systems continue to drop, according to new research by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a lab within the U.S. Department of Energy.
Since 1998, costs have dropped 30% thanks to cheaper photovoltaic modules, as well as labor, overhead and marketing. Researchers found that in the past 11 years, costs have reduced from $10.80 per watt to $7.50 per watt, with the most substantial reductions coming in small PV systems used in homes.
Contrary to iconic images of smokestacks and sooty factories, the world’s complex computer infrastructure is fast becoming one of the greatest carbon emitters. By 2020, global IT will reach about 3 percent of carbon emissions, accounting for “1.54 metric gigatons, or twice what the United Kingdom produces today,” according McKinsey & Co.
Where is this intense energy consumption and carbon emission coming from? Look to everything from your home computer and cell phone to the vast telecommunications networks and data centers that make the Internet work.
In the coming years, technology will work its way into more parts of our lives, making the possibility of turning back our insatiable demand unlikely. Fortunately, with this demand are great economic opportunities—by optimizing our use of technology, we can find efficiencies, cutting as much as 7.8 metric gigatons a year, McKinsey reported.
Companies like AT&T, a Fleishman-Hillard client, are looking forward and creating partnerships with energy providers to begin roll out of smart grids, where energy usage can be efficiently monitored and delivered.
Other tech innovators like Microsoft and Google are bringing energy savings to the world of cloud computing—creating remote systems that can grow and shrink computing power depending on need, conserving energy.
While innovative small and large companies will help lead us into a more efficient and sustainable future, regular users of technology can do their part. Check out this great podcast from Northwestern University for tips on how you can green your tech experience.
This blog is written by employees of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. The views expressed here represent the individual opinions of members of Fleishman-Hillard Sustainability, and do not necessarily represent the views of the company or its clients.
