Success sucks and Facebook is the latest company to be thrown under the bus. Greenpeace once again is jumping into the technology fray by campaigning against Facebook to re-think and consider renewable energy sources to power their new Portland OR based data center. Under the current plan, the bulk of the electricity used to power Facebook’s new data center will be derived from coal.
Don’t get me wrong, Jubbling is not dancing for Facebook. We just liked Greenpeace a lot more when they were chasing whaling ships and protecting harp seals instead of pursuing technology companies. Even their anti-nuke position was legitimate but going after Facebook seems a little opportunistic. It’s like they’re chasing dollars and and looking to get the most play because Facebook is currently the most successful non-search website. Five years ago, MySpace.com would’ve been their target but we know where they are now.
And the irony here is that one of the methods Greenpeace is using to drive this campaign is Facebook. They have 500,000+ Facebookers signing on to support their efforts generating more unnecessary traffic through the site. Also, Greenpeace is not above reproach. Some of their servers, according to The Guardian, are powered by non-renewable sources and nuclear power. (Note: Greenpeace is using offsets to counter their use of non-renewable energy sources for their web servers. Kind of like 5,000 Hake for 1 Minke Whale.)
What Facebook probably should do is offer to advertise on one of Greenpeace’s vessels. Like the Facebook Rainbow Warrior. Or Facebook, utilizing their marketing prowess and subscriber base, should start a competing organization called Greener Peacier and return the focus on protecting critters and stopping nukes. Only then might Greenpeace’s techno-dabbling end and we can all move on and dislike Facebook for other reasons.
Blank us on ......