Green computing.
Much has been written recently about the economics of abundance, especially how this is driving the new digital economy. At the risk of over-simplifying people like Chris Anderson and George Gilder point out that the marginal cost of storage and computing cycles is tending to zero, thus allowing – even driving – companies to (not worry about) waste these ‘abundant’ resources and to focus on helping their customers manage ’scarce’ resources (such as time or patience.)
While it may be true that the marginal or incremental variable cost of these resources is tending towards zero, Nick Carr in an excellent counterpoint highlights the fact that the fixed cost of making available this abundance is very far from zero; indeed it is significant, both in terms of fixed capital costs (plant) and variable operating costs (power.) And the cost of power generally does not (yet) take into account the environmental costs of its production and distribution. I strongly concur with his point that as both energy demand for computing and environmental awareness in society grows quickly over the coming months and years, producers and consumers of computing power will need to be ever more sensitive and focused on their energy consumption and efficiency. “Green computing” (has anyone used this phrase in this context before?) is something I think we’ll be hearing more and more about.
So who’s going to be the first search engine to offer me a carbon-neutral search experience? Who’s going to be the first telecom provider to offer me a carbon-neutral triple-play? (oh gee great, another dimension for their insane pricing matrices… 
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