The Green Web?

Katie Fehrenbacher writes:

[O]rganizations and companies are gravitating towards using the web to organize and communicate about climate change. Media, content distribution, collaboration tools and communications are all migrating to the web, so why not put them to use for a crucial issue.

The topic of climate change is also uniquely suited to the web. The information is often localized and action-oriented — what’s the best public transportation route in my city, or where do I recycle my e-waste. The topic also has a feeling of urgency (if not at times alarmist) which helps to quicky disseminate it around the web.

I'm sure Katie is right that the web can become an incredible tool for concerted and focused positive Green action. On the other hand, the production, use and disposal of technology itself creates a very significant negative environmental impact. Let's just hope that the Green benefits of the web begin to outweigh its costs. As both an ardent technologist and commited inhabitant of Planet Earth, I sincerely hope they will, and massively so.