Google’s Green
The hot news issue for Google this month has been the company’s privacy policy. But this week the tech giant got substantial press for announcing that Google.org – the company’s philanthropic arm – will give $1 million in grants to promote plug-in hybrid vehicles. Another $10 million will be allocated to research and development.
If that weren’t enough to give the company green-cred, on Monday it fired up the nation’s largest solar-power installation at its headquarters. Google’s Mountain View office definitely has a green-friendly vibe. Segways and bikes seem more vogue than cars, and groups of employees regularly bike the 35 miles from San Francisco to Mountain View. Even though some have questioned whether the company has stayed true to its “do no evil” mantra – on the green front, its commitment seems genuine.
[...] The nonprofit group Climate Counts issued global warming scorecards to companies like Apple, eBay and Google this week. The grades weren’t good. Apple got a 2 out of 100, and Google fared a little better with a 17. But these scores came out before this week’s announcement that Google will give $1 million to promote hybrid vehicles. Would it have made a difference? Some critics of the report say no. [...]