Why is the staff at Google smarter than everyone else?
Because their offices look like this? And this?
Honestly, I wish I could name one executive at Google. I'm wondering if I asked anyone in my office (include the technologically advanced Jenn Tran), they'd be hard pressed for a name as well.
Maybe that's a good thing. Perhaps they don't need a Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Which would be good, because I don't think Steve and Bill are allowed to fly on the same airplane together, for fear we might lose both.
(Here they are in case you were wondering.)
Regardless, they've come up with another great idea and almost beat everyone to the punch.
If there's one thing I've learned about hybrid car drivers, it's that they're very aware of how they're driving. Why? Because the car teaches them how to drive so they eke the most mileage out of a gallon of gas. No jackrabbit starts. No donuts in the school parking lot. No people on skateboards hanging onto the bumper. (Boy, was that a trip down memory lane.)
Which got me to thinking, if I could tell how much energy my plasma screen TV is sucking up (well, if I had one), or my air conditioning, or clothes dryer - I mean at the very moment I'm using them - then I might want to conserve a little bit. I mean, we use energy and water all month and then go into sticker shock when we get the bill.
Here's what Google has to say on the subject:
"Studies show that access to your household's personal energy information is likely to save you between 5-15% on your monthly bill, and the potential impact of large numbers of people achieving similar efficiencies is even more exciting."
Cue the Google PowerMeter:
"Google PowerMeter, now in prototype, will receive information from utility smart meters and energy management devices and provide anyone who signs up access to her home electricity consumption right on her iGoogle homepage."
The blog Treehugger reports that Google isn't the only one who wants to get in the action, there's at least 4 other companies creating dashboards like Google's.
Okay, maybe there are some people out there as smart as the folks at Google.
I don't care, as long as all of them can get people to cut back energy use from "5 to 15%" as advertised, I'm on board.
Save me the corner office.
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