ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Is there a silver lining for the environment in 'cloud computing'?
Compared to familiar climate-saving programs that aim to stuff greenhouse gases into the ground or harness the power of the wind, ideas like "cloud computing" are hard to penetrate. Still, the practice is gaining attention as the information technology industry promotes it as a tool to save both energy and money. Now companies, environmentalists and consumers find themselves struggling with a new question: How do you measure the carbon footprint of a "cloud"?