As you may have noticed, last Saturday was the whole “earth hour” thing where people turned off their lights for an hour to feel good about saving the world. Google joined the fun and put the background on their search-page to black (at least in some regions) and linked to this article from the google blog. The article basically adresses why google does not switch 100% over to black. It says:
One idea, suggested by the site called “Blackle” (which is not related to Google, by the way, though the site does use our custom search engine), is to reduce energy used by monitors by providing search with a black background. We applaud the spirit of the idea, but our own analysis as well as that of others shows that making the Google homepage black will not reduce energy consumption. To the contrary, on flat-panel monitors (already estimated to be 75% of the market), displaying black may actually increase energy usage. Detailed results from a new study confirm this.
They make it sound like it doesn’t make a difference and even suggest it may be counter-productive! But if you actually look at the results of the article they point to, it specifically states that it is only LCD’s (flatscreens) that are not effected, but that CRT’s (the big old monitors) certainly are! Looking at their numbers, there is 13% less power consumption on average for CRT’s when running a black background. If we combine this with what google says, that 25% of their users still use CRT’s, then there would certainly be power to be saved.
I’ve done some quick calculations to illustrate how much power could be saved. I should state right from the get-go that these are very bushleague calculations and are based on numbers that are largely guesswork, specifically the number of users google has and how much time they spend on their site. I’ll downtone all numbers a good deal to try and keep this as conservative as possible and not get into sensational numbers here. The main point is that energy CAN be saved.
The results
We’re doing this a little backwards. If you’re interested in how we did the actual calculations, go below the dashed line. If you just want to hear the bottomline in all this, just read this.
What we found was that slightly less then 5% of the total power consumption (of monitors) could be saved by a black background. This was the equivilant of 1.65*10^10 Joules per day, or around 4500 kiloWatt hours. To put this into perspective, a normal US household uses around 8900 kilowatt Hours a year (source). So if google did this, they would not be shutting down any powerplants, but at the same time, saying it would have no effect is misleading.
I want to make it clear though, that i am not accusing google of anything sinister. I just found a small error and wanted to elaborate on it. It is also a fairly small power consumption, and i don’t blame google for not wanting to go with a black background, as it’s ugly as hell.
P.S. I didn’t want to clutter this article any more, but in the next few days I’ll try and elaborate on WHY it is that CRT monitors save energy, and the LCD’s do not.
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The data
1) Average number of users on google each day.
In order to find this, I compared the “reach” number they had on www.alexa.com with the “reach” number of another website that I happen to know the exact number of visitors on (no it’s not this one. It’s a fairly large site so hopefully it’s as accurate as possible). This gave me a number of 160.000.000 users per-day. I’ll drastically cut it down to 100.000.000 so it’s easier to work with, and make the number more conservative.
2) Average time spent on google per day by each user.
For simplicity I’ll assume this to be one minute. In actuality it is probably 3-4 times as long, but again, lets keep it simple and not blow the numbers up.
The calculations:
The data we have to work with is from the Techloggs article. It tells us on average how many watts (which is Joules (unit for energy) per second) an LCD and CRT uses with white and black background, respectively. Our equation should roughly be:
Total energy per day, per person = Average Watts(Joule/second) * 60 seconds
Replace the Average Watts with the numbers given from Techlogg and then multiply the LCD number with 75.000.000 and the CRT number with 25.000.000 (75% and 25% of the google userbase). Then add the two to get the total energy used per day. We did this for both white and black background, and then subtracted the two numbers. That gives us the total energy saved per day (in Joules) and to get it in Watts, we simply divide by 3.600.000 (you can see how that works over at Wikipedias article on kWh).
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March 31st, 2008 at 2:47 am
I think that number is small enough that the aesthetic argument probably won out at Google HQ. I can’t say I blame them, either.
Consider as well that CRT is definitely a technology on the way out. That 25% number of Google users with CRTs is only going to shrink, to the point where it’s probably not worth executing the change since within a year, say, they’ll have passed the tipping point where the savings for CRTs user are outweighed by the extra expenditure by the LCD users.
In the mean time, anybody with a CRT can use Blackle. ;)
March 31st, 2008 at 2:49 am
It’s closer to 4%, if you discount the 22″ CRT monitor from the averages, which is the most sensible option. The vast majority of CRT’s still in operation are going to be small cheap ones. Having a power-sucking monster like that among just three others skews the average beyond reality.
In more realistic terms, quite apart from the fact that the page looks hideous with a black background, it’s also quite a bit less readable. That means people would have to stare at it longer, which through a convoluted chain of causality can be reasonably construed as possibly causing an increase in power consumption larger than the decrease achieved by using a black background.
As if that’s not enough of a stretch, how about this: Due to the massive decrease in usability, people desert the Google search page, moving to other search engines with normal-looking pages. Power consumption remains unchanged, but Google loses revenue. Their stock value goes down, reducing the amount of money donated to charity and other worthy causes by Google itself and its big share holders (which is no small amount as it stands right now).
I’m sure I could come up with more rationalizations to cover the fact that I really don’t like the black background page, but that’s enough for now.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:18 am
I completely agree with you, i was just a bit surprised by their blanket statement that it would make no difference, and even insinuation that it would make things worse.
But yes, i completely agree that it is a horrible, horrible look and i wouldn’t be happy myself if they did it (you won’t see us changing our background to black either, so i can’t put myself on a high horse here). Although i have heard one or two guys on other forums say that it is easier for them to read due to colorblindness. But i do believe that google allows you to customize their search engine so you could just do it yourself (or use blackle as you suggest).
April 1st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars which have been transfered FROM US TO THEM. All over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They just keep getting richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductible crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any ‘humanitarian’ progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. So don’t fall for any of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductible contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGenerous, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. No offense fellow citizens. But we have been mislead by nearly every public figure. WAKE UP PEOPLE. THEIR GOAL IS TO WIN THE GAME. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Reaganomics. Their idea. Loans from China. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. High energy prices. Their idea. Obscene health care charges. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. The multi-million dollar endorsement deal. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. Brainwash plots on TV. Their idea. Vioxx, and Celebrex. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed, credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of the above shrink the middle class, concentrate the world’s wealth and resources, create a dominoe effect of socio-economic problems, and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and politicians. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for any of their ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTIBLE PR CRAP. In many cases, the ‘charitable’ contribution is almost entirely offset. Not to mention the opportunity to plug their name, image, product, and ‘good will’ all at once. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These filthy pigs even have the nerve to throw a fit and spin up a misleading defense with regard to ‘federal tax revenue’. ITS A SHAM. THEY SCREWED UP THE EQUATION TO BEGIN WITH. If the middle and lower classes had a greater share of the pie, they could easily cover a greater share of the federal tax revenue. They are held down in many ways because of greed. Wages remain stagnant for millions because the executives, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, and entrepreneurs, are paid millions. They over-sell, over-charge, under-pay, outsource, cut jobs, and benefits to increase their bottom line. As their profits rise, so do the stock values. Which are owned primarily by the richest 5%. As more United States wealth rises to the top, the middle and lower classes inevitably suffer. This reduces the potential tax reveue drawn from those brackets. At the same time, it wreaks havok on middle and lower class communities and increases the need for financial aid. Not to mention the spike in crime because of it. There is a dominoe effect to consider. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. But our leaders refuse to acknowledge this. Instead they come up with one trick after another to milk the system and screw the majority. These decisions are heavily influensed by the 1% club. Every year, billions of federal tax dollars are diverted behind the scenes back to the rich and their respective industries. Loans from China have been necessary to compensate in part, for the red ink and multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth to the rich. At the same time, the feds have been pushing more financial burden onto the states who push them lower onto the cities. Again, the hardship is felt more by the majority and less by the 1% club. The rich prefer to live in exclusive areas or upper class communities. They get the best of everything. Reliable city services, new schools, freshly paved roads, upscale parks, ect. The middle and lower class communities get little or nothing without a local tax increase. Which, they usually can’t afford. So the red ink flows followed by service cuts and lay-offs. All because of the OBSCENE distribution of bottom line wealth in this country. So when people forgive the rich for their incredible greed and then praise them for paying a greater share of the FEDERAL income taxes, its like nails on a chalk board. I can not accept any theory that our economy would suffer in any way with a more reasonable distribution of wealth. Afterall, it was more reasonable 30 years ago. Before Reaganomics came along. Before GREED became such an epidemic. Before we had an army of over-paid executives, bankers, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, doctors, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and sold-out politicians to kiss their asses. As a nation, we were in much better shape. Strong middle class, free and clear assets, lower crime rate, more widespread prosperity, stable job market, lower deficit, ect. Our economy as a whole was much more stable and prosperous for the majority. WITHOUT LOANS FROM CHINA. Now, we have a more obscene distribution of bottom line wealth than ever before. We have a sold-out government, crumbling infrastructure, energy crisis, home forclosure epidemic, 13 figure national deficit, and 12 figure annual shortfall. The cost of living is higher than ever before. Most people can’t even afford basic health care. ALL BECAUSE OF GREED. I really don’t blame the 2nd -5th percentiles in general. No economy could ever function without some reasonable scale of personal wealth and income. But it can’t be allowed to run wild like a mad dog. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK. TOP HEAVY ECONOMIES ALWAYS COLLAPSE. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The American dream will be shattered. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE HUMANITARIAN. EXTREME WEALTH MAKES WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman.. Of course, they will jump to small minded conclusions about ‘jealousy’, ‘envy’, or ’socialism’. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Wow…
I reached halfway through it when I realized that it would never stop.
BTW, how does it relate to the subject?