Which is greener

The problem lies in the way software is developed for use — and then in the way it is used. Software runs on hardware, and as the former continues to grow, so does reliance on the machines to make it run. For example, blockchain drives some of the most advanced green solutions available such as microgrids that allow residents to trade environmentally friendly energy.

And this software innovation is also behind the development of cryptocurrency. In , researchers at the University of Cambridge estimated that the energy needed to maintain the Bitcoin network surpassed that of the entire nation of Switzerland. The very development of software can be energy intensive. For example, consider what we learned when we trained an artificial intelligence AI model on a small, publicly available dataset of iris flowers.

The AI model achieved accuracy of The next 1. The last 0. Now consider that same example in the context of the bigger picture of AI overall.

Training a single neural network model today can emit as much carbon as five cars in their lifetimes. And the amount of computational power required to run large AI training models has been increasing exponentially , with a 3. Nor would limiting software-driven innovation be a viable response.

However, companies can make software an integral part of their sustainability efforts by judging its performance on its energy efficiency as much as on traditional parameters e. Ultimately, the rewards would outweigh the challenges: The early, increased scrutiny that building green software requires translates into a higher-quality product: leaner, cleaner, and more fit for its purpose.

These qualities also offset additional upfront costs. Green software will help large companies meet their ESG targets, an increasingly important performance measure for stakeholders. So how can companies go green with their software? Some are useful; some are blatant greenwashing; and a few make us think.

Take, for example, this recent PR come-on:. It talks about a bidet invention that helps reduce toilet paper usage, helping the environment in the process. Ah — the bidet. Common in parts of Europe and a few other places around the world, but a mystery to the majority of Americans. For most, a bidet is a novelty to be contemplated in the dark recesses of some French hotel room, not a component of greener living. That's a good value when compared to the rather hefty price people pay for traditional bidets.

But it got us wondering: how green is this thing, really — especially when compared to recycled toilet paper? It's difficult to understand why environmentalists are so willing to discuss their bathroom habits with perfect strangers — or get those same strangers to start "greening up" by changing such an intimate aspect of their lives. With all the possible ways to lighten one's environmental footprint, you'd think potty time would be about the last thing on the list.

Sheryl Crow learned this the hard way, becoming the butt of late-night talk show jokes after calling for the rationing of toilet paper. Public reaction was predictable. Colin Beavan, a New York writer also known as No Impact Man, quickly discovered his family's abandonment of toilet paper was usually the first topic raised when interviewed about his year of low-impact living.

That being said, we're all about saving resources. Let's jump in. Biffy Personal Rinse — that's the one mentioned in the original PR note — leads with the idea of saving trees by replacing toilet paper with bidets: an admirable goal.

The proposition is quite similar to that used by green household product manufacturer Seventh Generation when promoting recycled paper products:. That sounds good. And it would be true, too — if lumberjacks were marching into natural forests with the sole purpose of hauling trees to the Charmin factory. Richard Aucock, Chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers, examines how the government's vision for a greener, cleaner future could affect diesel vehicles.

If you're planning on buying a new car, then you'll want to know all about its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. That's where the WLTP comes in.

BBC Top Gear expert Paul Horrell explores the benefits of hydrogen-powered cars, and how they could help to shape driving in the coming years. Is keeping my old car greener than buying a new EV? Back to Driving. A Boundless member, Ian Burton, recently asked me for some advice regarding his year-old petrol-engined Saab, and whether it would be more eco-friendly to stick with it or buy a new electric vehicle.

Complex comparisons The question of whether keeping an old car on the road is greener than buying new has been debated since well before the recent EV revolution. Keep your car or replace it? What about classic cars? How were the comparative emissions and efficiency figures calculated?

Running efficiency From the same report, the maintenance and fuel production for an EV emits roughly 9. Counting the cost: emissions in numbers 10 tonnes — the greenhouse gas burden associated with producing a 24kWh electric car, according to a report for the European Environment Agency — four tonnes of this is the battery alone. Driving So I asked Katherine over our virtual water cooler:.

This is key, what I have called the fallacy of false choices. It's like my answer to the bottles vs cans debate ; there is a third option, reuse and refill. There is almost always a third option; with books, the answer is the library. Books from the library are not disposable; they are used many times, they are shared. There are some who don't like libraries. Donald Trump tried to cut funding for them. But in fact, this is no longer satire.

I personally do not use the library very often, but my wife is its biggest customer, often having dozens of books out at a time. She has 32 out now. To keep her borrowing privileges she teaches kids how to read every Thursday afternoon. The Toronto Public Library is pretty sophisticated and she can order them online; even though Katherine lives in a small town, she can do the same and get the books shipped in. I sometimes find paper books a bit depressing, actually; they get sent to me by publishers and weigh on me, all these books that I promised to read and review and have barely begun.

I ask for digital versions, but they pile up unread in the iPad.