Microsoft Pairs up Clinton Foundation to Save Environment

Some may wonder what former U.S. president, Bill Clinton, is doing for the world at the present time. The answer: saving the environment.

The Clinton Foundation is known worldwide for its goals to supply health care, and to create economic growth; however, its most recent project tackles global warming.

Clinton's foundation has teamed up with software giant, Microsoft, to develop software and services that can be used universally to monitor carbon emissions. Additionally, cities around the world will be able to communicate ideas about environmental protection. As an added bonus, the environmentally-friendly software and services will be free of charge.

Cities can use the software to monitor and to understand their environmental impact. Specifically, "the software will allow users to monitor their progress and track the effectiveness of emissions reduction programs." (Source: neowin.net)

Another benefit of the software is an online community in which cities can participate. Collaboration and the sharing of environment-saving techniques will be prime discussion topics.

To ensure that the software is productive and useful, Microsoft will work with two environmental organizations, the ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) and the Center for Neighborhood Technology. The ICLEI, in particular, is familiar with practices to reduce hazardous environmental emissions, since nearly 1,000 cities now use emission reduction products built by this organization. (Source: infoworld.com)

Microsoft's goal for this software is to develop a standardized measurement system for monitoring emissions. It wants cities to make independent changes by estimating their effects on the environment. In terms of communal efforts, cities can work together by creating reports and accessing data from other cities using the same software.

While the environment is sure to benefit from any city using this program, only the privileged are allowed to participate. The Clinton Foundation will only deem cities eligible for using the software if they are already working to cut down on their carbon emissions.