[HCoop-Discuss] EnvironmentalPolicy

[ntk at hcoop.net]

> I'm a little uncomfortable with actions that have such an indirect
> relation to providing hosting services.

How is this so indirect? If a someone was spamming through an open relay
on our server we wouldn't claim we were not responsible for it.  We'd fix
it.  We are _buying_ 10 Amps of dirty power from Peer1 under our contract,
and using some of that.  Isn't the damage to health and environment from
this purchase a little more important?

> Does this mean as power companies become more efficient at generating
> energy, the amount we donate to NativeEnergy will go down?  Does the
> creation of wind power really mean 0 emissions?  Do they use clean
> energy to create the turbines, install, and maintain them?

This is getting way beyond the scope here.  I'm not going to explain how
wind power is vastly cleaner and lower emission than burning coal.  If you
really think that's a question please read or discuss this on a different
list.

Rob:
> Is there any direct benefit to the co-op by doing this?  We're offsetting
> the electrify consumption at Peer1.  Does this mean Peer1 is going to
> decrease our colocation cost to reflect this?

Why would they? Their contract doesn't say they provide renewable power,
just power.  We're not buying renewable electricity for our machines (we
don't own the wires), we're buying credits to offset the dirty power we
get from Peer1.  If Peer1 bought wind or other renewable power (which they
could), then we wouldn't have any need to do this.

> If the only reason we're doing this is to give us a happy warm fuzzy
> feeling inside I am sorry to say I am against this proposal.

I thought I explained that the reason is to ensure that HCoop is not
damaging the environment.  That's worth your five cents, no? If
environmental and social responsibility is just a "happy warm fuzzy
feeling," then I think you're missing the point of being a cooperative.  I
don't see it as trading "maximizing profit at all costs" for "saving money
at all costs." If I did, I wouldn't have spent three days leading up to
finals in a server room working pro bono for HCoop.

-ntk