Great news - not. Google, the great way to search for just about anything, has a major downside according to new research. Thanks to the amount of data centers it utilises and searches, a Google search has the same environmental impact as making a cup of tea (or coffee if you prefer).
Slightly embarrassingly I hadn't thought of that. Like a lot of people I'd seen my computer in front of me and considered only its impact rather than that of any other system on the environment. Of course I was wrong. In putting this blog entry together I'm using my own power, the power of Daniweb's server in New York (I'm guessing) and goodness knows how many hops in between. It's salutory to think in those terms.
A report in the Times in the UK is here. Some thoughts on practical measures to take are here.