i search, therefore i'm green

"A single Google query consumes as much energy as an 11-watt light bulb does in one hour."

This according to the home page for Znout, an free Google-based search site. Znout says their search engine turns your "web searches into green web searches," by measuring the energy consumption of their servers, plus emissions from the network infrastructure, plus the energy consumption of your own computer.

Then they purchase renewable energy certificates (similar to carbon credits) to balance out the environmental footprint caused by searching. Apparently, this in itself makes your searches "eco-friendly."

Forestle - another "green search engine" based with Yahoo - donates all profits to the "Adopt an Acre" program of The Nature Conservancy, which uses this money for the sustainable protection of rainforests.

Sounds simple. But, like the debate over carbon offsetting (why are we not trying to reduce emissions instead?), it's not.

Both sites bear the logo "Green Certified Site" - a product of C02 stats, which charges between $10-100 a month in exchange for a logo that says your site is "carbon neutral and energy-efficient."

But hey, what's Google doing about the environment anyway? Search away! Ecocho | Blackle | EcoSeek

carbon neutral music

From our friends at the daily green, here's today's 'one thing' - see a show by a musician that's going green.

If you enjoy live music, think of the substantial footprint - staging, signage, costumes, tour buses, and lights, not to mention the pounds of food wrappers, cans and other garbage left behind at the venue.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke has been taking the issue of global warming to the fans, while Coldplay innovated by making their CDs carbon neutral. Scottish sensation KT Tunstall tours in buses fueled with biodiesel...read on

Support homegrown talent too, like the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah Harmer. (Jack Johnson is American, but pictured for his green efforts and good looks ;)

it's not just the sign that's green

The Toronto-Dominion Bank announced today it will be carbon neutral by 2010.

"Reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions is a key element of our ongoing commitment to take climate change and the environment seriously," said Ed Clark, President and CEO.

"Our approach will start with energy savings programs to reduce our emissions. We will also use green power, and make investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions outside TD to offset any emissions we cannot eliminate."

TD's adoption of eco-friendly policies is part of a growing trend within the banking industry. Rival Bank of Nova Scotia revealed on Monday it has set up a climate change fund, "the first of its kind in Canada."

And last year, Royal Bank of Canada announced the creation of the $50-million Blue Water Project, a ten-year program to support water conservation "and other water-related issues."

TheTD Greenwash Action Team in the pic above, however, feel differently.