[Foundation-l] WMF-projects: Carbon neutral/low/aware website?

[Peter Halasz]

I do hope it's within WMF's budget to go carbon neutral. While there
are certainly plenty of other causes around, being aware of our own
energy supply and footprint on the Earth is something that is inward
focusing -- looking at intrinsic factors of the organisation, and
should be reflected in our core values. And I believe it's our strong
values that keep people donating.

I believe we could make the announcement of carbon neutrality without
using any particular logo or political affiliation. If it's so
problematic, the only link could be to the article on "Carbon
neutrality".

I, for one, consider the figurative book of life to be the most
important part of the "sum of all knowledge", and a great number of
species are threatened now by global warming and climate change. As
much as I value Wikipedia, an article with some photos is no
replacement for the real thing. I support the possibility of having
the organisation leave the Earth no worse than it found it.

Peter Halasz
[[User:Pengo]]

On 6/8/07, Walter Vermeir <walter at wikipedia.be> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I noticed a logo for "Carbon Neutral website" on a wiki;
> http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Carbon-Neutral
>
> The concept is to be aware of the carbon production related to the
> operation of a website/organization and to try to keep the production
> as low as possible by using energy efficient computers and
> environmental awareness by people working for the organisation.
>
> And further compensate the produced greenhouse gasses by investing in
> projects to reduce emissions.
>
> Why doing this:
> There is a climate problem on earth caused by the human activity's
> like the release of greenhouse gasses.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
>
> If there are people who find this is not correct go to
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change
> and voice your beliefs there.
>
> Because a picture says more then thousend words maybe this short
> picture can made clear what this is about;
> http://sol3.info/2007/05/no-need-for-words.html
>
> Back to carbon neutral website;
>
> The impact of doing things like this can not be anything else for the
> environment then symbolic. But I do not think that is an valid excuse
> for not (trying) to do it. Symbolic actions have also there value.
>
> If some small website does something like this then that is nice but
> that is all (*). But if a Top 10 Internet website does it then that is an
> important symbolic signal. And if it would come form a American
> organization it would be matter even more. Like it or not America has the
> image in large parts of the world as the largest polluter in world who
> does not want do anything serious about it.
>
> I would like to raise this topic to the global Wikimedia community and
> if there is support for (maybe a vote?) the Wikimedia Foundation to
> take this topic in to account.
>
> And explore if, how and when it could be possible to reduce the
> environmental footprint of the Wikimedia Foundation projects and maybe
> get to the point to be
> become a carbon neutral website.
>
> The vision statement of the WMF is;
> "Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in
> the sum of all knowledge. That's our commitment."
>
> In a future with increased global temperature of more then 2 degrees
> Celsius the change of that vision getting reality is strongly reduced.
>
> I think it would fit the mission of the WMF to try to at least try to
> become a carbon neutral website/organisation.
>
> And it would also not hurt from a public relations point of view.
>
> Some people could be concerned about the NPOV attitude of Wikipedia.
> This is not about advertisements, this is about the future. To stay
> hard core neutral by doing nothing is saying NOP (Not Our Problem).
> That is also a POV, a irresponsible one.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Greetings,
> Walter
>
> (*) A cleaner environment starts with yourself. Being small is no
> excuse for not doing anything yourself. I operate the websites
> wikizine.org and sol3.info . These are Carbon neutral websites because
> of investments in green power installations by myself.
>
> --
> Contact: walter AT wikizine DOT org
> Wikizine.org - news for and about the Wikimedia community
>
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