We live in an era where compute capability is ubiquitous, whether it be on a smart phone or mobile computer, and where “the cloud” can be accessed from anywhere.

In parallel, the ever-improving energy and carbon-efficiency of computers creates new opportunities to trade off atoms for bits, also known as de-materialization, and to substitute carbon-intensive activities, such as transportation, with tele-presence.

Here in Intel’s Eco-Technology group, we’re trying to learn precisely where these trade-offs exist, and under what conditions society can achieve net-positive outcomes, by harnessing technology in more environmentally beneficial ways. To that end, together with Microsoft’s sustainability group, we asked Dr. Jonathan Koomey, visiting professor at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and an expert in energy conservation technology, economics, policy and global climate change, to undertake a study of the environmental tradeoffs, between purchasing music in the traditional fashion (on CD from an online or brick and mortar store), versus purchasing and downloading the digital files.

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Motorbike manufacturer Piaggio has announced that the Piaggio MP3 Hybrid will be launched in America during the first quarter of 2010, making it the first affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle of any kind available in the US.

The news was revealed by Piaggio Group USA President and CEO Paolo Timoni, who also told reporters that the MP3 trike will be capable of achieving a hyper-efficient 141 mpg, all for a price as low as $8 or $9,000 (video).

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Music fan Owen Louis was so concerned about the amount of energy used up by his iPod, that he figured out a way of charging it up … with nothing more than an onion.

Louis, 21, from Portsmouth in the UK, makes two holes in an onion, before soaking it in an everyday energy drink and connecting it to his MP3 via a standard USB cable. Incredibly, the technique (video) enables him to charge his iPod for a full hour. According to Louis, “A friend showed me the experiment as a laugh but I thought it was the greatest thing I have ever seen, and do it religiously every day.”

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What if you could guarantee exactly how much you’d get, based on how long you’ve owned it, at the time of purchase? This is now a reality, via the company Tech Forward. You can buy a product at any store you like, then purchase their Guaranteed Buyback service, which covers a wide range of electronics, from MP3 players to desktop computers.

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Here’s the green beat: CDs contain aluminum, polycarbonate, lacquer, dyes, nickel, and chemical feedstock from oil, none of which are particularly groovy for the environment. And the jewel case and shrink-wrapping don’t make CDs any healthier for the planet. Plus, with iPods and similar technologies abounding, how often do we buy the CD, upload the songs to our computers, listen to the tunes on our laptops and handheld devices, and never again touch the CD itself? These days, as this green blog puts it, CDs are nothing more than extra packaging for the music we buy. Spare the waste and the toxic materials by downloading your music directly.

By now, High Fidelity fans everywhere are groaning. Forgo the experience of music shops? But consider this a fresh spin: with a music library on your computer and not all over your house, it’s much easier to arrange your music — not alphabetically — but chronologically in the order that you discovered the musician, or however you like.

Many readers will also ask, justifiably, whether it’s actually more environmentally friendly to use a computer or handheld MP3 player to listen to music than it is to buy CDs. Let’s look into this a bit because it’s a good question. As per the computer, we’ll assume that no one actually buys a computer just to listen to music. Rather than buying a CD player and hundreds of CDs, we can get all of our music using a single instrument that we would have purchased in any case. Therefore, even if it takes more juice to run a computer than a CD player, we can safely say that listening to music on your computer is better than buying CDs and playing them on your computer or CD player. Just remember to turn the computer on to use it and turn it off when we’re done. If you mostly like to listen to music on the computer, problem solved.

But what about handheld MP3 players — are they better for the environment than CDs? Greenpeace has an interesting article full of both criticism and praise for Apple’s iPod. The bad news for iPod users? These devices too are made with toxic chemicals, and when they break, they are cheaper to replace than to fix. On the other hand, CDs also have a definite lifespan and will sooner or later become landfill. But here’s the good news: iPods are recyclable. The final factor that gives MP3 players the edge over CDs is simply that they hold so many songs. The iPod classic holds up to 40,000 songs. At about 15 songs per disk, that would add up to over 2,600 CDs. Lastly, some environmentalists will also appreciate iPod features like the downloadable Animal Ingredients List A-Z, a "portable, quick reference for vegans on-the-go." Features like these can make being green a little easier.

Lastly, there’s the question of the energy used by the servers that hold music for people to buy online. They’re left running 24/7 to allow people to buy music at any time of the day or night. Rather than arguing that this energy use is less environmentally taxing than the energy used in manufacturing CDs, let’s do one better and take action on the issue. According to the Climate Counts consumer scorecard, Apple isn’t doing much to address climate change. This could swiftly be rectified if, say, ten percent of Apple iTunes users contacted the company asking it to run its iTunes servers on clean energy. Change has to start somewhere, and this is a good opportunity.

For those of us who are less digitally wired, there’s still the good old radio. A long product lifespan, low energy usage, and dozens of music radio stations give the radio impressive eco credentials. If considering the ins and outs of CDs vs. downloads makes your head spin, relax. We’re here to enjoy being green. Just turn the radio on and let the music flow. Also, it’s worth checking out online radio. One site I highly recommend for discovering new artists is Musicovery.

If you’re using electrical devices for music, don’t forget to turn them off and unplug them when they’re not in use to save energy. For an extra eco touch, you can get a solar charger for your iPod or computer. You can also choose to power your music (and your home) with renewable energy from your local utilities company or an energy offset provider.

So turn up the volume and get your groove on. Dance like nobody’s watching and let the green times roll.

References and Resources:

Apple iTunes Store Environmental Impact | Torants

iPoison + iWaste | Greenpeace

Apple and the Environment | Apple

Compact Disc | Wikipedia

Compact Disc Manufacturing | Wikipedia

Can I Buy Green Power In My State? | US Department of Energy

Photo Source:

Streetart in Lisbon,Portugal | Flickr