First "Carbon-Free" CPU Fights Global Warming

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First "Carbon-Free" CPU Fights Global Warming

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday September 13, 2006 @03:01AM from the green-costs-green dept.

An anonymous reader writes "VIA is doing its bit to fight Global Warming by introducing the 'world's first carbon-free' desktop PC processor. The RoHS-compliant C7-D consumes 20W at 1.8GHz, and is accompanied by a 'Clean Computing Initiative' that aims to offset the chip's environmental cost. According to a LinuxDevices report, VIA has pledged that atmospheric carbon released during generation of the power needed to run the chip throughout its expected life-cycle will be offset by regional conservation, reforestation, and energy programs initiated or contributed to by VIA."

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only carbon? by spamchang · 2006-09-13 03:14 · Score: 4, Interesting

i think they're forgetting the heavy metals cost of gold, the industrial waste cost of the wafer fab process, the energy it takes to run a whole semiconductor assembly operation, and the huge environmental 'fixed cost' of constructing the buildings that make these processors. i wonder if there are plans to distribute these environmental costs and offset them as well.

but it is a start, and more companies could adopt the same attitude.
Re:You need a better power supply by MoOsEb0y · 2006-09-13 04:29 · Score: 2, Interesting

You may be making a funny, but the power supplies used in computers can make a huge difference in how green they are. An example of good power supply design can be seen at the 80+ group's website. The specification basically boosts the requirement for efficiency from the 70s to the 80s along with adding active power factor correction (a huge boon for building owners as that prevents the need for giant capacitors in the basement to save money on electric bills). The cost savings for a machine that is on 24/7 with one of these new supplies makes it pay for itself in just under a year.

I bought a 550 watt Enhance power supply based off of the list of vendors from that website and have been supremely impressed with what I got. My power bill has gone down by a several dollars a month and my living room doesn't get quite as scorching hot. Also, given the build quality (far superior to any power supplies named after woodland herbivores) I have no doubt that I will be able to use this supply for years to come. All the latest fancy power connectors are included (24 pin atx, 8 pin +12v, PCIe, sata, etc) and intelligently laid out.
They couldn't be green by normal standards by pacc · 2006-09-13 05:20 · Score: 2, Interesting

Via must have looked at ISO14001 and found that they had no control over
chemical use, water pollution and what their subsidiaries in china were up to.
But since you can buy certificates to clean their otherwize uncontrolled electrical
supply they decided that if they could buy a green corporate image for by getting
certificates a small fractional percentage of their production.

This smells like Chiquita's banana stickers, nowhere close being accepted by
any real certification system, but bragged about in commercials everywhere.
Chiquita - Going Green or Greenwashing Corporate Crime?.

Everyone can make a difference by conserving power, but not by buying more stuff.
Re:I'm doing my part by Cramit · 2006-09-13 11:58 · Score: 2, Interesting

Actually the H3 is a move in the right direction...I hate soccer mom hummers; but at least they are getting smaller with each number. I might even be interested in a H8 or H9.