Eco-conscious Search Engines: Viable Alternatives to Google

A new Toronto based search engine, TheXYZ.org, has tailored a new beginning for eco-conscious web surfers. The site was launched in August 2007 by Toronto Artist Perry Toone and offers users a google search with reversed color schemes of search-result pages so users see light-colored text on a black background. It has been stated by researches that the energy consumption of computer monitors is reduced when using a darker background, particularly the standard CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor. If the black background wasn't enough, the developer has carefully selected overtones, every colour used in this website is energy efficient. The website eco colour palette was chosen from Emergy-C and consists of 6 colours.

The site was launched in August 2007 by Toronto Artist Perry Toone. TheXYZ which is not affiliated with Google, was inspired by a blogger who earlier in the year estimated, that if everyone was to change to a black background, the annual energy saving would be 3000 Megawatt-hours a year. It has been debated the savings are most likely to differ from older CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors and the more-energy-efficient LCD (liquid crystal display) screens that are commonly used in the marketplace today.

Testing the power levels used searching the standard Google and TheXYZ, found that modern LCD computer monitors didn't see much benefit from a black screen, while the CRT screen did see savings with TheXYZ of between 5% and 20%. However this was not an in depth study into power consumption.

Although the power saved may be small, it is important to take small steps to save energy. TheXYZ's P. Toone, "hopes that people will use the search and be reminded of innovative new ways to save energy as well as remembering to turn off a light."

This comes as great news for laptop user's looking to get the most out their battery. Other's however have resisted any efforts to change, we thought it was a good idea and quickly adapted to the enhanced energy saving search.