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IT IBM Working On Greenhouse Gas Meter
Jason Mick (Blog) - December 13, 2007 5:41 PM

21 comment(s) - last by tmouse.. on Dec 14 at 3:54 PM

IBM's new effort should make Al Gore proud

IBM is looking to develop a greenhouse gas meter capable of measuring output by industries and devices. It is working with Enterprise Information Management and Evergreen Energy on the project, which is dubbed GreenCert. The project integrates IBM Websphere tools and applications with a central engine from C-Lock (a subsidiary of Evergreen Energy).

The resulting program uses the varied logistic information it gathers from the Websphere tools to create a snapshot of the company's current usage and calculate an approximate figure for usage.

The program promises financial rewards as companies who use the system can make improvements to their infrastructure and then use the tool to take an "after" picture which will provide companies with proof of their cuts which can be used to obtain carbon credits to be traded on the carbon market.

IBM will release the final version of the software in 2008, but for now it is available for beta test from C-Lock is beta testing it.

As the software seems very vague and abstract, and IBM is keeping much of the details under wraps; it is hard to say how serious IBM is about this project as a business venture. IBM insists that companies will see real financial benefits by utilizing this program, though.

Cutting CO₂ production is the hot item in the science and tech industry today. Grey-matter heavy Oxford University, the U.S. Congress, and now, IBM are among the power players work to develop efforts to help solve this problem.

IBM is constantly coming up with wild products and ideas -- everything from supercomputers, to in-DVD advertisements, and patents for efficient job outsourcing. It also recently came up with a new way to recycle silicon.

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By SeeManRun on 12/13/2007 6:00:27 PM , Rating: 2

One could say that the message and influence he can exert would be more beneficial to humanity than himself living in a grass hut and eating only organic food. I think his raising the awareness of global warming does more good than his negatives of not car-pooling and flying on jets.

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By Keeir on 12/13/2007 6:59:46 PM , Rating: 3

The problem with the statement is that Al Gore has said the following:

1.) He's long been aware of the dangers of CO2
2.) We should reduce CO2 output
3.) Everyone needs to do something

But in his life, Al Gore doesn't seem to have made the choices that will reduce his CO2 emissions... without compromising his mission.

No one would complaign if Al Gore (and his family) used a reasonable multiplier than the average family... say 2 or 3 times. Instead he uses around 20 times the electricity and 20 times the natural gas. And this does not count in the frequent traveling, etc etc etc. It might not be out of line to say, Al Gore produces 100 times the CO2 emission than I do. It probably is even greater than that... It's pretty galling to hear him say I use too much CO2 and should spend thosands a year to reduce it.

He could take a number of steps, including moving to a smaller more efficient home, upgrading his current home to greener standards, attempting to travel less and use more web cams etc, using all LED lighting, using more efficient electronics (while donating the old ones to schools), etc etc. It just doesn't seem this is occuring. So either he really doesn't care THAT much or he really is just now figuring out CO2 and is not THAT sure

Either way, he comes out a hypocrit, maybe he will get the message and work to reduce his carbon footprint as an example to the rest of us. Once he uses 50% of the CO2 I do, then I will take him seriously that he really believes C02 is bad.

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By TomZ on 12/13/2007 7:42:13 PM , Rating: 2

I agree, and I would add that Gore only started to make energy efficiency upgrades to his home(s) and buy carbon credits* after being "outed" by the media. It was almost as though it hadn't occurred to him before to practice what he preaches.

(* I personally think carbon credits are stupid, but what the heck, it's not my money.)

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By bobbronco on 12/14/2007 12:59:50 AM , Rating: 3

Obviously, you haven't been keeping up with current events.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GORE_TENNES...

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By Ringold on 12/14/07, Rating: 0

RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By Keeir on 12/14/2007 2:41:46 PM , Rating: 2

Great! He finally made some changes, but still there is a significant number of personal choices such as having a Commerical Grade Kitchen, Heated Pool, etc that are personal luxuries that many people who he is asking to reduce CO2 emission do not have.

The fact is for decades Al Gore has chosen to live and provide the life of the rich and wasteful.

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RE: Al Gore is already too Proud

By tmouse on 12/14/2007 3:54:01 PM , Rating: 2

Well I guess the Nobel Prize money was useful for something. But seriously here is a guy who has become a poster child for a cause, who quite frankly did not take it seriously enough to reduce his own usage until it was made public. Then he paints himself as some sort of martyr and people excuse him since he is such a good "figure head" for the cause (I cannot say example since he is a poor example of the message). Now he is a hero for doing what he should have done quietly in the first place if he really believed in what he was saying. I will always remember him as the guy who , when being very good about avoiding answering questions with ANY real answer during his presidential bid, was eating ice-cream so the interviewer asked what’s your favorite flavor? He actually stopped to think! (I guess he did not wish to offend any of the other 30+ flavor lovers, he never answered the question.

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