1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you get in touch with technology with 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: tex Stuff from how stuff works dot com. This podcast 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: is brought to you by Verizon Hub, the home phone 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: reinvented exclusively from Verizon Wireless. Hello there, everybody, and welcome 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: to tech Stuff. My name is Chris Poulette and I'm 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: an editor here at how stuff works dot com. Sitting 8 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: next to me, as usual, is senior writer Jonathan Strickland. 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: Hey there, Wow, it's been a long time since I've 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: heard that. Yeah, my World War Worldwide Rather tour is over, 11 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: so I'm back to Hey there, all right, So what 12 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: are we gonna talk about today? Oh? Well, actually today 13 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about subject that was brought up 14 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: by one of our listeners. This is from Sandra Almost 15 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: said Sarah. I'm sorry, Sandra. Here's what she has to say. Hi, 16 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: Chris and Jonathan. First, let me say I really enjoy 17 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: your podcast and listen to every episode. Thanks for all 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: the hard work. I'm learning a lot and it's mostly painless. 19 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: I bet that has something to do with the jokes 20 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: we tell. I'm all right, I'm writing to suggest an 21 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: idea for a podcast. Over the last few years, we've 22 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: moved to doing everything online, from banking and paying bills 23 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: to entertainment and socializing. While it's true we can save 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: paper and gas by doing more online, I think it's 25 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: misleading to think it's more energy efficient overall. I recently 26 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: read an article that said we have to build five 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: new power plants every year just to support the increased 28 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: energy needed for I T alone. That would be bad 29 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: enough if server farms operated at peak efficiency, but apparently 30 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: they're incredibly inefficient, so much of this energy is wasted. 31 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: I'd like to learn more about the impact of our 32 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: bandwidth hungry lifestyle and its impact on the environment and 33 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: our economy. I hope you'll consider this for a future podcast. 34 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for considering it, Sandra, Well, Sandra, thanks a lot 35 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: for writing in. That's an ex silent email, and we're 36 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: gonna try and tackle this. It's it turns out this 37 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: is a really tricky subject to to talk about, not 38 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: because of any controversy or anything like that, but just 39 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: because when you start to look at the whole issue, 40 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: you begin to realize the picture is a little larger 41 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: than what you first thought. Right. Oh, definitely and then 42 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: you look at that and you're like, wait, wait, wait, 43 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: wait wait, if I have to consider this, then I 44 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: need to consider this next element. So the picture gets 45 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: a little bigger, and it gets bigger and bigger until 46 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: you end up hiding under your desk and weeping softly 47 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: speak for yourself. Okay, Well, Josh, Josh knows I often 48 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: actually will hide under his desk because he's very comforting. Yes, 49 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: I understand. Yeah, As it turns out, we sort of 50 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: worked ourselves into a hole, so to speak, because, um, 51 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: we rely on both paper and computer technology. Um, and 52 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: neither one of them is particularly environmentally friendly, and neither 53 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: one of them is particularly harm so much more than 54 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: the other. Yeah, they're harmful in different ways. Yeah they're yeah, exactly, 55 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: and they're good and bad things about both. So, um, 56 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: I was gonna tackle print and paper to start with, 57 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: if you don't mind. Okay. So I was reading up 58 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: on a couple of different subjects, one of the which was, 59 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: you know, how much uh energy it takes to create 60 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 1: a book? Um. There was another one that was talking 61 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: about how much energy it takes to make a ream 62 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: of paper, And you know, it's it's an interesting thing 63 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: to read about and really again, you have to think 64 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: about the whole big picture, not just how many trees 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: you had to cut down or you know, the processing 66 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: plant for the trees to turn the lumber into paper. Um, 67 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: there are a lot of different things you have to 68 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: think about, like after after the papers made, it has 69 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: to be shipped somewhere. When it's being shipped somewhere, that 70 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: that the fuel is going to put an impact on 71 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: the environment. The uh, just the travel and wear and 72 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: tear puts an impact. I mean eventually you start looking 73 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: at this like a domino effect, right, Like okay, well 74 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: that also means you have to maintain the trucks and 75 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: the trains and wait a minute, that also means that 76 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: if it goes into a store, you have to pay 77 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: for things like lights in the store. Like where does 78 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: it end? Is the question? But in general. There was 79 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: a study done by the Book Industry Study Group and 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: Green Press Initiative not too long ago where they try 81 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: to estimate how much carbon is produced through the publication 82 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: of a single book. The conclusion that they came to 83 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: was that each book contributes about eight point eight five 84 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: pounds of carbon. So every single book you see, essentially 85 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: that's what it took to make that book possible, including 86 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: you know, coffee table books. Yeah, well, I mean I 87 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: think it's I think it's an average because, yeah, I'm saying, 88 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: like the monster at the end of this book probably 89 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: doesn't have as big an environmental impact as say, the 90 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: Lord of the Rings. Now impact upon my life equally huge, 91 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: but not upon the environment. Um And they also estimated 92 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: that the publishing industry generates about twelve point for million 93 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: metric tons of carbon per year. It's a lot of carbon. 94 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: Significant And now you have to also remember that when 95 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: you're creating paper, obviously you're creating paper from lumber. You're 96 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: gonna have to get that lumber somewhere, so you have 97 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: to cut down trees. And trees are what we call 98 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: a carbon sink. So trees help take carbon out of 99 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: the environment, mostly through carbon dioxide. Um And So if 100 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: you start cutting down the trees, not only are you 101 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: in the process that you're going through to create whatever 102 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: it is you're creating in this case paper, not only 103 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: are you creating carbon that's going into the environment, you're 104 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: taking away the the ability to absorb that carbon because 105 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: you're removing some of the trees. So that's that's not 106 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: good for the environment. And uh, and we've been consuming 107 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: more and more paper products, um as the years have 108 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: gone by. I read an interesting report by green pdf. Now, granted, 109 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 1: you have to take this with a grain of salt. 110 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: You have to always consider the source of the information 111 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: you're receiving. Um. If you're receiving information from an environmental 112 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: like a pro environment kind of source, you have to remember, 113 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: all right, well, let's look around see if there's any 114 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: other independent sources that verify this information. Same thing if 115 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: you read from a pro industry source. Right, absolutely, so 116 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: you want to be far as much as the time 117 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: as you can. Right. You don't wanna you don't want 118 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 1: to just assume that the information you're reading is in fact, uh, 119 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: completely accurate. You need to kind of look around. But 120 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 1: what green pdf said was that on average, uh, each 121 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: person in the world consumes about a hundred and twenty 122 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: three pounds of paper per year, and of the paper 123 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,359 Speaker 1: consumed is used in printing documents, and the average office 124 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: employee uses seven reams of paper per year. All right, 125 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: so here's some more figures for you. One point one 126 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: billion trees are cut down for this paper supply each year, 127 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: fifty million metric tons of lumber. And uh you think 128 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: each tree removes about one ton one metric ton of 129 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year. Uh. And each 130 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: tree can make about a hundred and seventy three realms 131 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: of paper. Okay, so there's a lot of a lot 132 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: of figures, facts and figures for you. A realm of paper, 133 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: by the way, UM, producing it dumps about twelve pounds 134 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. UM. So you know 135 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 1: obviously that's a big environmental impact. UM. I mean, trees 136 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: are a renewable resource. You can grow more uh trees 137 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: if you need to. And the thing is a lot 138 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: of environmental organizations will tell you that they there is 139 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: some difference between trees taken from a sustainable forest versus 140 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: old growth trees. And there are some companies that are 141 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: I mean, if you really want to go looking for it, 142 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: you can find lists of companies that will tell you 143 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: the ones who use sustainable lumber versus old growth forests. UM. 144 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: You know, if you are so inclined to do that. UM. 145 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: The thing also that I you know that I think 146 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: that we should mention is the chemicals, because if you're 147 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: creating say a craft paper bag, you know, brown paper 148 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: bag that you would see at a grocery store. You know, 149 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: that's pretty much that doesn't really require a lot of 150 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: of coloring. But if you want bleached white paper that 151 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: that you'd get for you know, for example, school notebook 152 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: paper or um paper for your laser printer, that takes 153 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: bleach and those chemicals go into a water source someplace 154 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: in a lot of cases, Um, you know. I I 155 00:08:54,640 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: remember actually driving across Tennessee, UH and seeing signs an 156 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: environmental organization and taking out signs near the Pigeon River 157 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,719 Speaker 1: because there was a paper plant upstream and they they 158 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: used the billboard and it changed ever ever so often, 159 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: but it would actually you know, point out that this 160 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: particular paper company was you know, dumping chemicals into the water. 161 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, it affects a lot of things. 162 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: It's not just you know, the trees being cut down 163 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: in the carbon dock side. It has another impact on 164 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: the environment just from the actual production, the other costs 165 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: of production, if you will. Sure. Yeah, I I grew 166 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: up in uh near Lake Lanier, um in in Hull County, Georgia, 167 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: and UH and we had paper mills, not too far 168 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: from the house. So when the wind was blowing in 169 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: a certain direction, you'd get that lovely oh yeah scent 170 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: of the paper mill. It was blowing in the other direction, 171 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: chicken farms, so it was blowing in one particular direction. 172 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: You got the best of both worlds. Oh yeah, and 173 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: then you know, you get the environmental impact of both 174 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: of those, right, yeah, tasting, So that that's kind of 175 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: the whole paper thing. So we're talking, you know, and 176 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: of course there are ways you can you can reduce 177 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: the environmental impact of using paper. If you're using paper 178 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: that that is certified as carbon neutral, arguably that means 179 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: that the company is doing something to offset the fact 180 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: that they're taking trees. Uh there, you know, they're cutting 181 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: them down, maybe they're planning more, maybe they're buying carbon offsets. 182 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: But if you have a carbon neutral kind of solution 183 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: to your paper, you might not be making quite as 184 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: big an impact on the environment. Now, there's still other elements. 185 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: You know, you were still talking about the production and 186 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: the shipping, shipping, just the you know, just just the 187 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: energy you need to run a plant. I mean that 188 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: that that energy that's coming from that electricity. So you know, 189 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: there's still things that are going to affect the environment, 190 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: whether or not you're using like totally recycled paper or whatever. 191 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: That that's true. UM, And of course there are costs 192 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: environmental costs and um financial costs to recycling to it 193 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,559 Speaker 1: does help, of course. So if you buy recycled paper, UM, 194 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: that encourages them to continue making recycled paper and to 195 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: recycled paper when you you know, are done using it. UM. 196 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: You can always use the backsides of paper. Try to 197 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: duplex print if you're going to have to print something. 198 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: Here's one of my big pet peeves. If you work 199 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: in an office where people do a lot of printing, 200 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna see a giant stack of stuff that people 201 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: printed out but never came to pick up. Don't be 202 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: one of those people. If you're going to print something, 203 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: print it because you need it and you're actually gonna 204 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: use it. That that's just one of my big pet peeves. 205 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: You know, I I find that I need to use 206 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: paper from time to time. I try not to use 207 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: tons of it ha ha literally but no figuratively speaking. 208 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: And the thing is, you know, I go over there 209 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: and I see that big pile of paper, and it 210 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: stress me crazy. Um, so they understand that. The one 211 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: thing though, that I that I find interesting about paper 212 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: when I think, well I'm going to shift to online, 213 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: is once the paper is produced, it's produced. It's it's there. 214 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: It's not doing anything. It's not you know, contributing to 215 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: or or detracting from the CEO two levels of the planet. 216 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: So I mean, if you have paper and are using 217 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: it responsibly and not over using it, then you know 218 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: it's a sustainable resource. So there's something to be said 219 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: for a piece of paper as opposed to say, a computer, 220 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: which is going to draw a power constantly. I mean, 221 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: unless you've unplugged it or you're using a uh one 222 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 1: of the power strips that can prevent vampire power from 223 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: going on your your computer is always drawing some power. 224 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: Vampire power for the uninitiated, is um say you have 225 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: your computer plugged into a power strip and you've turned 226 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: it off so that you can go to work the computer. 227 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: That is right, right, that's a good point. That's a 228 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: good point. You turn your computer off, that left the 229 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: power strip on your computer is still going to be 230 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: drawing some power. As a matter of fact, if you 231 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 1: if you have a desktop computer like a tower and 232 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: you take the side of it off for the front 233 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 1: of it off where you can actually see, you'll probably 234 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: see a couple of the little LEDs inside that tell 235 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: you that there's something going on. Um. It's basically keeping 236 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: the machine running. It. The same could be said for 237 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: your TV. People don't want to wait for the TV 238 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: to come on, so the manufacturers built in you know, uh, 239 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 1: the capacity to store energy so that you can turn 240 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: it on and it pops on very quickly. Well, the 241 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: thing is, it takes electricity to do that, you know, 242 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: very low flow, and that's called vampire power. If you 243 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: turn the power strip off, it stops drawing power. Unplugging 244 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: it will really stop it. Yeah and um. And and 245 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: then we should point out that even the vampire power, 246 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: although it is you know, a constant thing, um, it's 247 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: not drawing nearly the same amount of power as your 248 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: computer would when it's running, especially if it's running like 249 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: full speed, like running a very heavy application. UM. So 250 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: when we're talking about computers, were really looking at things 251 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: like energy efficiency. Uh, you know, whether or not you 252 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:04,319 Speaker 1: are using any of the sleep or idle modes, or 253 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 1: if you're turning your computer off. Um. And also not 254 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: only that. But when you're talking about online applications now 255 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: you have to look at, as Sandra pointed out, data 256 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: centers and data centers. They okay, for those who don't know, 257 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: a data center is essentially a collection of servers, and 258 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: it could be a small center. And when when I 259 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: say small, most people would think of a small center. 260 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: Like most people the I T. Baz would say, like, 261 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: a hundred servers is kind of small. Google has has 262 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: data centers that with the servers that number in the 263 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: thousands and tens of thousands, and they've got these enormous 264 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: buildings their size of several warehouses put together, filled with 265 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: these machines all running, their generating tons of heat, they're 266 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: consuming lots of electricity, and they always have to be 267 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: on because if they go off, your service goes away. 268 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: That's that's no more Gmail. That's no more access to 269 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: any of the files that you've stored in the cloud, 270 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: that's no more Search exactly. Yeah. So the thing about 271 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: that is that those machines are constantly running, and there 272 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: are probably at least hundreds of thousands, if not millions, 273 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: of machines doing that at anyone given time. And the 274 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: Internet is made up of computers talking to one another, right, 275 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: and and a computer running, uh, you know, actively running 276 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: can consume anywhere between I don't know what, like like 277 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: a hundred and something wats per hour to up to 278 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: three hundred depending on the machine, maybe even more, I 279 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: guess if you've got to really power hungry device. But 280 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: so you gotta think there are these thousands and thousands 281 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: of machines that are running all the time. If you're 282 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: using a lot of online services, UM, then you're contributing 283 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: to the need for more machines, which means that you know, 284 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: you're indirectly you are contributing to an environmental impact. So, uh, 285 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: what what can we do about this? Well, I mean, 286 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: if you don't use it, I don't think they're going 287 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: to be fewer computers out there. But what we can 288 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: really hope for is that these companies will start looking 289 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: into ways to um to power their data centers in 290 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: a renewable fashion that's not dependent upon you know, traditional 291 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: electricity power plants to generate electricity. Google's doing that. As 292 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: a matter of FACTUM, I have some family up in 293 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: the Northwest, and um Google has they generated headlines generated 294 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: sorry for the pun generated headlines. A few a couple 295 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: of years ago because they were building a giant data 296 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: center UM in a town near Portlands called the Dolls UM. 297 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: The thing is, you'd think, wow, that's you know that 298 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: you look at the the Google Earth view of this 299 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: place and you go, man, that's got to have tons 300 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: and tons of computers. And I'm and I'm sure it does. However, 301 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: it's also along the Columbia River and the from what 302 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: I understand that that data center draws a lot of 303 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: its power from water, right, hydroelectric power exactly, So you know, 304 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: there are there are things that they're doing there and uh, 305 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: I believe a solar power to to try to offset 306 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: some of the uh fossil fuel costs the electricity there. 307 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: And and also I just wrote a blog post about 308 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: this recently. As of the recording of this podcast. By 309 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 1: the time this goes live, it will actually be old news, 310 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: but you can always go back and look at it. UM. 311 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: But I did a blog post about this patent that 312 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: Google applied for and was granted for a floating data center, 313 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: and it's essentially a data center on a boat, and 314 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: the full design incorporates UM some devices that generate electricity 315 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: through the motion of water so both waves and tidal motions, 316 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: and UM and also uses the water as a coolant 317 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: to keep the servers cool, so it doesn't have to 318 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: you know, it doesn't. It can just utilize the power 319 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: of the sea to keep it going and it's not 320 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: drawing power from a power plant like most data centers are. Well, um, 321 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: you know, Google actually has its own organization in house 322 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: that looks at renewable energy sources. It's called ARIS lesson 323 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: C and UM I actually this had come up before 324 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: we had started talked about the idea of writing an 325 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: article or doing a podcast about this subject. Before UM 326 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: and UM I got some information on that. Um Eric Tetzel, 327 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: who's the program manager for ARIS lesson C, said that 328 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: a Google search takes three ten thousands of a kill 329 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: a lot, which generates about point two grams of c 330 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: O two every time you search Google. So you know, 331 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: it's small, it's a very small impact. However, you know 332 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: how many people are searching Google every day any point 333 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: of the day. Yeah, sure, so, I mean if you 334 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: think about that and how much that search energy is, 335 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: you know the cost of that search energy. Google and 336 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: other companies have good reason to look into other sources 337 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: because I mean environmental impact aside, it's got a financial impact. 338 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: So if they could find some renewable sources, especially non 339 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: polluting ones that you know, make them look better, I mean, 340 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: it's it's a win exactly, it's a it's a good 341 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: move for them. And and just like we were talking 342 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: with the paper, with all the additional factors that you 343 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: have to take into account, the same things true with computers. 344 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're ultimately you're gonna have to think, Okay, 345 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: what did it cost environmentally speaking to produce this computer? 346 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 1: What did it cost environmentally speaking to build the data centers? Um? 347 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,120 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's these are costs that are essentially 348 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: one time costs for per machine, just like a book 349 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: is a one time cost. But it's like, again, you 350 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: start looking at this big picture situation where everything gets 351 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: linked in together, and there's there's not really an easy 352 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: solution because there's no real way where you can just 353 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 1: you can't point to one thing and say this is 354 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: the source of the problem because it's so much larger 355 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: than that. Yeah, yeah, and uh, I mean there's more 356 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: than the carbon footprint of manufacturing a computer, let alone 357 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: taking it apart. I mean, so many of them end 358 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: up in landfills because people don't recycle them. There's let, 359 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: there's cadmium, There's all kinds of stuff there, uh, and 360 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: it gets into the groundwater. There's the environmental impact of that. Right. 361 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: The more often you replace your computer, uh, and the 362 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,159 Speaker 1: more computers you own that need to be replaced, that 363 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: just adds to that impact. So there's something to be 364 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: said uh for that too. So what we're getting down 365 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 1: to here is that there's no easy answer of saying 366 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: is paper better than using a computer or vice versa. Um. 367 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: What we can say is there are certain behaviors you 368 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: can follow that will help decrease your impact on the environment. 369 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: And if everyone does this that that does make a difference. UM. 370 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 1: But we can't, you know, we can't just sit there 371 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: and sign off on one versus the other. So using 372 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: things like recycled paper, um, you know, only using paper 373 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: when you need to, that kind of thing, as well 374 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: as UH, if you're using your computer and you're going 375 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: to be away from your computer for a couple of hours, 376 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: it's okay to go ahead and turn that off. Uh. 377 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: The everyone want to worry is about whether or not 378 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: the spike that you were that you experienced when you 379 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: first turn a computer on, if that if that negates 380 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: the effect you would have of turning it off. In 381 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: most cases, it does not. In most cases, especially the 382 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 1: longer you keep it off, the greater the benefit is. 383 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: So if you are going to bed at night and 384 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: you're not gonna be up and using the computer for 385 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: eight or ten hours, turning it off is probably the 386 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: best choice. And if you can't turn it off, or 387 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: you know you just you can't, you're just not going 388 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: to Using a sleep mode um can also really really 389 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: help out. A sleep mode might be just a couple 390 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: of percentage points of what the active mode would be. 391 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: And don't assume that a screen saver is the same 392 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: thing as a sleep mode, because yeah, it actually can 393 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: generate a lot of it can drain a lot of 394 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: power because I mean, you know you're running you're running 395 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 1: a program, is what you're doing, and it's displaying something 396 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: a monitor. So if you have a desktop computer and 397 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: a monitor is keeping the monitor a week, right, So 398 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: don't just you know, it'll go to screen saver and 399 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: that'll that'll save money. No, go ahead and put it 400 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: onto sleep mode. I mean it might mean that it 401 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: takes a little longer for it to boot up, but 402 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: it you know, that's a small price to pay, I mean, 403 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: and you'll be saving money on electricity bills. Yep. You 404 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: can also unplug a lot of your electronics when you're 405 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: not in use, or you can get smart power strips 406 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: that will do it for you. They can. A lot 407 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 1: of the power strips now come with the ability. Now 408 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: they're more expensive, I should point that out, um, but 409 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 1: they tell the ability to go, oh, well, this thing 410 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: hasn't been on for half an hour, I need to 411 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: just turn this off. And and it's an upfront cost 412 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: that eventually will be offset by the savings you you make, 413 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: assuming that you know you're using it appropriately and you 414 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: know that it's that it's that it's a device that's 415 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: going to last a few years. It may take a while, 416 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: because when we're talking about savings, we're talking about you know, 417 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: maybe a couple of dollars per year, which doesn't sound 418 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: like you know, it's not not really that remarkable, but 419 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:00,160 Speaker 1: you are making a much lower impact on the environ 420 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 1: that's true, that's true. I think what we really need 421 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: to emphasize is that what you do, you need to 422 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: do responsibly, you know, if you if you behave responsibly, 423 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: not wastefully. Um, you know, I don't think any of 424 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: us are going to be able to give up our 425 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 1: paper and computers anytime soon, and they're just too embedded 426 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: in our our daily lives. I think the best thing 427 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 1: to do is sort of mitigate and um, you know, 428 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 1: find ways that we can contribute to, uh, reducing our 429 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: carbon footprints and maybe the global carbon footprint as a 430 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 1: as a whole. Sure I agree. Alright, Well, Sandra, thank 431 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: you so much for writing in. That's a great discussion, 432 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: so we really appreciate it. Uh. 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