Many
of us have personal computers. They assist us in our work, enhance our
creativity, and even provide entertainment. Here’s a chance for even
greater stewardship of these resources by lending their excess processing
power to help global warming research or find a cure for diseases! (You don't have to
understand all the scientific mumbo-jumbo of the research to participate -
just download the software following the simple directions!)
The climateprediction.net
experiment has been developed to allow a state-of-the-art climate
prediction model to be run on home/ school/ work computers. By getting
data from thousands of climate models, we will generate the world's
largest climate prediction experiment.
Help
find a cure for cancer, Alzheimer's or other diseases
Most
of us have known people who have suffered from these diseases and would
gladly do this … if only it were possible.
But
it is! With the help of your PC – and the PCs of 5,999,999 other people
- we can help create the world’s largest supercomputer that can perform
the trillions of calculations and analyses necessary to conquer these
diseases and others. Intel’s Philanthropic Peer-to-Peer PC program is
funding and coordinating this effort.
This
"virtual supercomputer" uses peer-to-peer technology
to make unprecedented amounts of processing power available to medical
researchers from Oxford University and Stanford University, thus
accelerating the development of treatments and drugs with the potential to
cure diseases.
If
your home or office has a PC that’s just a few years old or newer, it
most likely will meet the relatively modest system requirements. Visit Google
Compute to find out more about this project and answer any questions you may have.
From that website, you can download one of the free programs that will
enable your PC to take part in this great effort.
E-Waste:
What does your church and congregation do with its outdated computers?
There is a growing
mountain of "e-waste" - outdated computers and related
equipment. These are filled with toxic substances. A few outdated
computers are recycled responsibly. However, most go into landfills and
many others are "recycled" by sending them to developing nations
where they are recycled in any way that's expedient - to the detriment of
the health of the low-wage workers and to the environment.
Consider:
Between 1997 and 2004, over 315 million computers
will become obsolete is the USA. This adds up to
