Internet is Environment's Best Friend

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Internet reduces carbon emissions

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uploaded by neilabraham

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  uploaded by neilabraham | add comment

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  uploaded by neilabraham | add comment

The internet is often villainized for all the carbon emissions produced to enable use of it.  However I would strongly argue that the internet is the environment's best friend.

Let us not overlook the huge benefits the internet is for the environment. Here's just a few reasons why:

1. The internet has enabled millions of workers around the world to telecommute - and leave their cars at home - much less carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases in the air we breathe.

2. The internet has allowed us to buy "virtual" copies of music through excellent services like Apple's iTunes.  In the past couple of weeks, millions of Michael Jackon songs have been downloaded from the internet instead of being stamped onto physical Audio CDs, which get scratched, thrown in the trash and then dumped into land fills.

3. The internet has allowed us to collaborate virtually, using Digital Video Conferencing, Skype, etc eliminating the need for excessive business travel.  Less cars on the road again and less airplanes in the air.

4. The internet allows us to read newspapers and other news sources like "NowPublic.com" online instead of chopping down millions of trees to print hard copies, which are trashed, burnt or buried in land fill.

Yes, you may have created some Carbon dioxide by using your computer to read this article on the web, but carbon dioxide (CO2) is not a pollutant anyway, instead it is the lifeblood of the planet.  Trees and plants require CO2 to breath and then convert it into oxygen that you and I breath.  That's a good good thing too!

So instead of beating up on the internet, lets pause and reflect on the great accomplishments of internet inventors like Tim Berners-Lee and DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the incredible freedom it has enabled us and the huge positive impact it has made and continues to make on the environment, its best friend.

(Much applause here and cheers)