Cyber warming: PCs produce same CO2 emissions as airlines

Ministers will this week embark on a campaign to curb “cyber-warming” from computers and information technology equipment that now does as much damage to the climate as aircraft emissions.

Meanwhile, the Health Protection Agency is to start measuring levels of radiation from Wi-Fi systems in response to mounting concerns.

The two initiatives will mark the biggest official attempt to address some of the environmental consequences of the extraordinarily rapid spread of IT into almost every aspect of daily life. Up to eight million new computers are sold in Britain every year, along with 1.8 million Wi-Fi terminals in the past 18 months.

independent