The scientist behind the research that The Sunday Times used to suggest that every two Google searches was equal to boiling a kettle has accused the paper of having an 'axe to grind' with the search giants.
Google quickly responded to The Sunday Times' assertion that work done by Harvard University's Alex Wissner-Gross showed that each search produced 7g of carbon.
However, even Wissner-Gross it seems is unhappy with the report in one of Britain's most respected broadsheets, accusing the paper of seeking a "really easy way to sell papers," in TechNewsWorld.
"For some reason, in their story on the study, The Times had an axe to grind with Google," Wissner-Gross said.
Not Google focused
"Our work has nothing to do with Google. Our focus was exclusively on the web overall, and we found that it takes on average about 20 milligrams of CO2 per second to visit a website."
"I have no idea where [The Sunday Times] got those statistics."
Wissner-Gross did tell The Sunday Times that Google's searches had an environmental impact and that the company's data centres consumed a great deal of power. "I don't think anybody would disagree with those statements," Wissner-Gross added.
"Everything online has a definite environmental impact. I think everybody can agree on that, including Google."
