DEMO Takes on New Colors
DEMO has never been about following trends; it's about identifying them. But one trend we've watched more than lead is Clean Tech or Green Tech or whatever other name you use to identify environmentally-responsible technology.
Sure, we've bumped the edges of it in the past. At DEMO 03 we say the launch of Digital Sun’s X.sense, a product that used sensor technology in a mesh network to control commercial and residential irrigation. When NEC created the first fully recyclable PC a half-decade ago, DEMO was there writing about the importance of eliminating toxic components in business and consumer electronics. Last summer, we welcomed Greenest Hosting with a DEMOletter column that pointed out that an environmentally-friendly hosting service could actually be more reliable than one using conventional power management. And at DEMOfall, we introduced Fusion-io by reminding attendees that terabytes of solid state storage required less power and generated less heat, reducing the overall energy consumption in the data center.
Still, we never really dared to call any of this green computing. They are strides – significant strides – in reducing computing technologies’ mega footprint on the planet. Yet we always saw them in a different context: mesh computing or PC design or a storage breakthrough.
Now, that's changing. Next week we'll look at two very different projects that point to the greening of DEMO. One is component technology, the other a platform for awareness. And, yes, you'll have to tune in next week to hear more about both of these.
The bigger point, though, is that DEMO is beginning a shift in awareness. We're evaluating products on the usual metrics, of course: Are they advancing the state of the art? Will they challenge established competitors? Do they bring new ideas to the market? But we’re also beginning to ask another set of questions: Can this product be made and delivered in a sustainable manner? Does it reduce energy use or eliminate waste?
Certainly, the trends toward server-based computing, video conferencing and remote collaboration, among other technologies, can have positive environmental impact. But we have to be careful, too, not to "green wash" products to make them appeal more environmentally friendly than they truly are. And we have to be careful to practice what we preach. We're just getting started, and certainly we'll have to make our own tough assessment to reduce DEMO's footprint. It's not lost on us that our production uses tremendous amounts of energy to power stage lighting and 70-plus technology exhibits. We'll work to minimize our use of consumable resources, embrace recycling, and use sustainable products.
Still, it is a start, and one we hope will make a new attitude and direction for DEMO and its community.
