So, as much as I’ve been on the same page as Greenpeace all this time with the whole anti-coal powered Facebook data center situation, things are getting a little childish at this point.

If you haven’t been keeping up, the situation is basically like this: Facebook announced they’re constructing their own data center in Oregon to move into, and implied that it would be pretty environmentally friendly.  As their users increased insanely, they decided to double the size of the facility, and it also came out that the supplier of power for the facility uses a lot of coal in their energy mix.  Greenpeace pitched a fit and it’s been mudslinging ever since.  They can’t even agree on how much coal is in the mix - Greenpeace has said it’s significantly higher than Facebook will admit to, and they’ve both resorted to personal attacks at this point.

But Greenpeace is losing me.  See more at the PC Magazine article, but basically, Greenpeace released an obnoxious video which really takes things to new levels of immaturity.  It looks almost like they just won’t let it go because they don’t know what else to do with themselves.

It comes to this: no one should be using coal because it’s stupid.  It’s not renewable, it’s contributing to the destruction of the planet, and it sets a horrible example.  But now Greenpeace is getting in on the stupid, and the entire situation is the most tawdry drama the data center scene has generated in a while.  You kids need to settle down and stop bickering.

Elizabeth English