Good reasons to think before you click
Billions of people use the internet every day, so perhaps the info in this graphic shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. But it sure knocked me off my chair when I discovered it recently:
The energy use of data centers – like the ones that power Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook (Meta) and the rest of the internet – has exploded. Globally, data centers now use more energy annually than many countries, and more energy than entire industries like global aviation. Some big companies like Google have announced ambitious plans for their data centers to run on 100% renewable energy – but the growth of data centers has eclipsed their transition to renewables so they are actually falling behind and generating more emissions than ever. No wonder the internet has been called “the largest coal-powered machine in the world”.
As users of the internet, you and I own part of its enormous carbon footprint – yet we can’t really do without it either.
So what to do? Here are a few ideas:
- Swear off of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, because creating and using them takes an enormous amount of electricity, much of which comes from fossil fuels. (Cryptocurrencies are complicated, but here’s the simplest explanation I’ve come across of how they work and why they consume so much energy.)
- Minimize streaming by selecting lower resolution for audio or video; choosing to stream less; downloading content you’ll be viewing more than once; and turning off auto-play. Tempting as it is, avoid using YouTube to play background music.
- Email wisely: resist the temptation to reply to all, or to reply at all when it’s not necessary; minimize attachments and attachment sizes (sharing links to online sources is much less energy-intensive); delete old emails periodically; and unsubscribe to emails that don’t give you value (hopefully not this one!!)
- Limit use of Artificial Intelligence as it requires considerable computing power and energy. It’s estimated that one query on ChatGPT takes 10 times the energy of a search on Google.
- Minimize cloud storage, as the servers where such storage happens need to run 24/7. Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta are the four largest data center companies in the world.
- Declutter your computer regularly, as unused files and apps take energy to maintain. Importantly, delete any unused files (including emails) that may be backing up regularly to cloud storage in the background.
- When replacing devices, make energy efficiency a priority. Look for ENERGY STAR certified products for best-in-class efficiency.
The internet is a vital part of our modern world, but an enormous source of emissions. So let’s use it as sparingly as possible.
Thanks to subscriber Diane Gauthier for suggesting this Green Idea, plus this resource, “Cliquer c’est polluer,” for French young readers.
In the news:
‘Absolutely crazy’ ocean temperatures supercharged Hurricane Beryl, whose remnants led to extensive flooding and one death in Nova Scotia.
Inspiration from a world leader: Copenhagen introduces CopenPay, where doing a green act will get you a free treat from participating businesses!
Attention health care providers: are you up for a Green Office Challenge to see if you’re the Greenest Primary Care Office in your province, or even the country? Use this great Green Toolkit for Clinicians and Managers as a guide; then complete the questionnaire by October 15 to win the title!
Quotable
“Their No. 1 agenda is to continue producing fossil fuels. Once you understand {that}, everything makes sense.”
- Texas A&M University climate scientist Andrew Dessler, of the US Republican Party