What is contributing to your digital carbon footprint?
People are often taken aback by the carbon footprint of the aviation industry, but what if we told you that our daily internet activities produce more carbon dioxide than airlines?
Internet data makes up 4% of global carbon footprint, compared to the 2% produced by the aviation industry, and is predicted to double by 2025. Yet, along with the great power of the internet comes great responsibility. It is, thus, everyone’s responsibility to ensure sustainability by rethinking our daily online habits and lowering our digital carbon footprint.
Sending and receiving an email gives off 0.3g of CO₂ emissions; an email with attachments emits 50g of CO₂. If the average worker sends out 121 emails each day, that is equivalent to 1652g of CO₂ emissions! A typical business user’s email habits create 135kg of CO₂ emissions yearly — the equivalent of driving 321km in a car!
According to the Carbon Literacy Project, changing your email habits can go a long way in reducing your carbon footprint.
Now, think about all the unopened newsletters you receive each day. Brands send about 1 to 4 emails each week — some, even more. If you get 100 emails a day, and half of those are newsletters, you might want to consider unsubscribing from the ones you do not need.
Besides email habits, keeping our digital devices clutter free also reduces energy consumption. Go through your files and delete any that you no longer need or use. This not only frees up space on your devices but also reduces the energy required to store and manage those files. With fewer files or apps on your device, less power is consumed while operating, resulting in lower energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Learn how to declutter your emails with even more tips and find out more about how physical and digital decluttering helps you live more sustainably through our #YahooEarthDay campaign!
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Yahoo believes that sustainability is everyone’s responsibility — and we can work together for a more sustainable world for ourselves and future generations. Take the #YahooEarthDay Quiz to test your environmental and sustainability knowledge! The quiz shines the spotlight on sustainability, including waste reduction, reducing carbon emissions, and how you can do your part to protect the environment.
