A new report linking Apple’s iPad, which debuts Saturday, to global warming has prompted debate among environmentalists about the true planetary impact of these mobile devices.

The report by Greenpeace, an environmental activist group, says the iPad’s fun features — streaming video, downloading music and books — rely on “cloud-based computing” in which vast amounts of data are stored at data centers for instantaneous retrieval.

The power consumed by these data centers and telecommunication networks will more than triple in a decade, according to the report, “Make IT Green.”
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Computing accounts for a bit less than 3% of U.S. energy usage but cars are the single largest contributor to climate change, writes Alex Steffen of WorldChanging, a sustainability blog, citing government data.

“If Greenpeace really wants to get up in people’s grill about something that needs to change, it should start with their cars,” says Steffen, a self-described Greenpeace supporter. He also argues mobile devices like the iPad can ultimately save energy by allowing people to work and shop from home.