Black is not (always) Green

February 15th, 2008

Black is not (always) Green

It’s time to clear this up folks. Hopefully you already know that surfing with a black background (on your computer screen) will not always save energy. If not, let me explain why black backgrounds aren’t that green.

Black backgrounds can save some energy if you use a CRT screen (CRT screens are those huge and big screens). If you, like the majority, uses an LCD screen (the flat ones) a white background instead of a black will save energy.

LCD monitors are built with a light behind the screen that is always on. So when you show a white page you just let the light shine through the screen. If you show a black page on the other hand the LCD light is completely blocked and it requires more energy to shine through.

According to Google “displaying black may actually increase energy usage”.

Blackle and SaveAndSearch are two of a few sites that is based on the idea that surfing with a black background on websites will save energy and therefore be good for the environment. But unfortunately surfing black isn’t really that green.

If you are interested in saving energy and helping the environment there are better and more efficient ways than using black or white backgrounds when you surf or search the web.

About Simon Leufstedt

Simon Leufstedt is the founder and editor of Green Blog – an environment blog with authors from around the world. He is also the admin of Enviro Space - a place to meet, discuss and interact with other people who share your interests and ideas. Simon has previously studied Global Environmental Justice and is currently busy working with the Swedish TckTckTck organisation and learning everything there is to know about Human Ecology at the Lund University in Sweden. You can follow Simon on Twitter.

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Jake

Good thread and I love the idea of the site.
In regards to the black screen debate: It is true that a black screen LCD setting does not save the energy that an old CRT screen would for reasons mentioned above (the LCD back-light). Further, I believe that there is a very small current applied to induce the black pigmentation and so one could argue that it in fact wastes energy to use black screen settings on an LCD.
However, when a black screen setting is used the LCD back-light intensity can be reduced as low as possible without sacrificing the legibility of text (if white text). If it was possible to extinguish the back-light even further, even more energy could be saved (If anyone knows how to do this in windows I would love to know... my laptop only lets me dim the screen to a very low setting but three or four more stops would be even better.)
Don't take anyone's word for it, test it yourself: Time your battery duration at under normal preferences, then change your settings, dim the back-light and check duration again. let us know what happens.
aw

Unfortunately WHITE just hurt my eyes.

But what about the differences between Sleep and Hibernate?

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