Understanding the Environmental Cost of Our Digital Activities

Did you ever ponder the environmental impact of sending an email or participating in a digital meeting? Surprisingly, even simple online activities like sending an email can release upwards of 17 grams of carbon dioxide. Moreover, opting for audio-only during virtual meetings can slash carbon emissions by as much as 96%.

Our digital devices might seem innocuous, but their operations have a hidden environmental cost. Activities ranging from online searches to streaming your favorite series consume significant amounts of energy, water, and land.

The Environmental Toll of Internet Usage

How exactly does browsing the internet consume natural resources? Consider the vast data centers full of servers required to process and store data; these facilities consume large amounts of electricity, much of which is generated from carbon-emitting sources. Moreover, these data centers occupy considerable land space and utilize significant quantities of water for cooling purposes, which adds to their ecological footprint. Consequently, even mundane digital activities have a small, yet cumulative environmental cost.

Detailing the Carbon Footprint of Common Online Activities

Video Conferencing: With the pandemic onset, platforms like Zoom saw usage leap from 10 million to over 300 million daily users. A Purdue University study highlighted that an hour on Zoom could generate between 150 to 1,000 grams of CO2, depending on various factors. However, turning off the video can dramatically reduce this footprint.

Streaming Services: Consider the case of Netflix, with millions tuning in daily. Research indicates that one hour of streaming can produce about 100 grams of CO2. In a broader perspective, popular platforms like YouTube and TikTok collectively emit millions of metric tons of CO2 annually due to their high viewership.

Artificial Intelligence: Beyond general internet usage, technologies like AI have substantial environmental costs. Training an AI model like ChatGPT requires vast amounts of energy, with the training phase alone emitting hundreds of metric tons of CO2. New approaches are being explored to make AI more energy-efficient, but the challenge remains substantial.

What Can We Do to Mitigate These Impacts?

Individual actions can make a difference, such as opting for audio-only calls or using environmentally conscious search engines. However, significant change depends largely on the tech industry adopting more sustainable practices, such as optimising energy use, using renewable energy sources, and ensuring sustainable sourcing and waste management practices.

Calls to Action for Individuals and Corporations

Individuals are encouraged to use energy-efficient devices and support brands committed to sustainability. Meanwhile, tech companies have the power to drive significant environmental change by optimisng their technologies and making strategic choices that favor sustainability.

Optimising your company website

The internet’s contribution of 3.7% to global carbon emissions, surpassing even the aviation industry, calls for immediate action. Your company website no-doubt accounts for a part of these emissions. Every image that loads, every piece of unoptimized code all adds to the output.

We provide a groundbreaking service designed to empower every website with the ability to combat this environmental challenge. We reduce the size of images and streamline server request, optimize code and help you find energy efficient hosting solutions to reduce energy consumption.

If you’re looking for a bit more information on how Website Emissions Optimisation works give us our technical specialist Andy a call on 0449 728 946 or email andy@climatelogic.com.au.