Q What is the environmental impact of so many people now using sites such as Facebook and spending so much time online? A The environmental impact of so much online time really boils down to energy usage, which in turn affects the amount of greenhouse gases we pump into our atmosphere. For one, each of us can help by limiting computer time (whether surfing the Net or not) and shutting them down or putting them into sleep mode when we aren't using them (this can be automated via the computer's power management control panel). Also, when shopping for a new computer, consumers and businesses alike can opt for models certified by the federal government as energy efficient with the Energy Star label. If all computers sold in the United States met Energy Star requirements, Americans could pocket $1.8 billion annually in saved energy costs and reduce greenhouse ...

By developing chips that help link everything from personal computers and cell phones to Blu-ray media players and personal navigation devices, Atheros Communications has ridden a technological wave that shows no signs of slowing. As the number of such devices has exploded, so, too, has the company's business. Founded in 1998, its annual sales have soared from $183 million in 2005 to $542 million last year. This year it has added nearly 150 employees, bringing its global work force to 1,447, of which a third is based in Silicon Valley. And the company, which is still hiring, is growing so fast it plans to move soon from its cramped Santa Clara headquarters to bigger quarters in San Jose.