You can already do your own part for the preservation of resources by going to a light node like the Default Node for bouncing on the chatterbox.

The next best bet, depending on your habits, is probably to use the framechat or the Java Chatterbox.

Even better would be using one of the many chatterbox clients that just poll the XML ticker, a much lighter hit than for any browser-suitable page. There are many different ones available to suit any tastes - framechat2, Curses Chatterbox Client, Perl/Tk Chatterbox Client or Win32::GUI Chatterbox client to name just a few. See also the two lists of clients (both incomplete). Super Search is probably of service here if these don't appeal.

Finally, a CB->IRC interface would have the advantage that a single XML ticker polling client can have any number of users listening. Actually, jcwren has already written one: Robomonk - An IRC to PM Bridge. You just have to launch it onto some IRC server. (Don't bother with the demo mentioned there, it's been offline for a while now.)

Going whole hog and running exclusively on IRC would be a mistake IMO. The XML feed was set up to allow lightweight external access - make use of it!

Makeshifts last the longest.