We’re always working towards being a completely sustainable agency here at N0BS Agency, so reducing our carbon footprint to reach B Corp status is a huge priority, as we look to support our earth and its natural resources.
But did you know there’s such a thing as a digital carbon footprint?
In fact, every time you click on something online, you’re contributing to the pollution of the planet. According to the online carbon calculator Website Carbon, the average website produces 1.76g of CO2 for every page view; so a site with 100,000 page views per month emits 2,112kg of CO2 every year. The more complex a website is, the more energy it requires to load – and the greater its climate impact.
We build low-carbon websites and can seriously reduce these numbers for you – our sites are cleaner than 89% of websites. Want to learn more about sustainable web design? Read on, here.
What is a digital carbon footprint?
A digital carbon footprint is the total energy from all of your online activities. This number includes things that are very tangible, like the power necessary to keep all of our online electronics charged and running. It also has some more abstract-sounding factors, like the energy required by the servers hosting our favourite TV shows, movies, videos, and games, and even things like receiving and sending emails.
While that might sound pretty concerning, there are loads of great ways of reducing your digital carbon footprint as you surf the web and go about your working day. Here are some of our top tips.
1. Unplug when you’re not using your devices
A nice simple, basic one to start with that we’re all familiar with is to unplug your devices when you’re not using them. Makes sense, right? There is still a draw on energy when they are in Sleep mode too, so that isn’t the best solution either. Powering them off is good for your devices, your electricity bill, and the environment. It only takes a minute and can save you loads of cash, too.
2. Reuse and recycle old devices
Don’t always rush out to upgrade your new devices every time a new one comes out. Fifty million tons of electronic waste are generated every year – which is equal to 1,000 laptops thrown away every second – only 12.5% of which is recycled, according to the EPA. When a device is at the end of its life, consider donating or recycling through a business or your local municipal waste service.
3. Limit unnecessary streaming
We all love streaming, and we’re not suggesting stopping that completely, but being a bit more mindful of your streaming habits is a great way to reduce your digital carbon footprint. 80% of internet traffic comes from videos streamed on platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu. According to The Shift Project, 300 million tons of carbon dioxide are generated from watching videos every year. Don’t leave videos playing when you leave the room or when you fall asleep, and turn off auto-play. And close tabs on your browser that might play video ads, too.
4. Spring clean your inbox
This is actually a really big one that’s super easy to reduce (but might take a bit of time!). The average email uses 4 grams of CO2, and an email with long attachments can use up to 50 g of CO2, which is a lot of energy for something you’re not going to read all of anyway! So take some time to clear through your inbox and unsubscribe from those emails that are no longer relevant to you, to help reduce your digital carbon footprint.
5. Be email-sender-savvy
Tempted to always click ‘reply all’ to every email? That same guide above can be applied when you’re sending messages. Consider if all of the recipients really need the information before sharing it with them all. And it’s also a good idea to be mindful of whether you really need that OOO reply on for that half-hour window, too!
6. Reduce your brightness
It’s not always an option, especially if your eyesight needs mean that you need a super bright screen, but one good way of reducing your digital footprint is to lower your brightness a notch or two. Your device will use less power + less power = a lower footprint. Oh and not to mention a lower electricity bill, too!
7. Invest in some planet-friendly, happy hosting
If you have a website, think about hosting with a company that matches its power consumption with renewable energy, or has an initiative such as planting one tree for every new account. At N0BS Agency, we use completely renewable, green hosting, and we can hook you up, too! Let’s chat today.
8. Clean out your cloud space
Before selecting a cloud service for yourself or your business, scrutinise all options available, and take environmental impact and emissions into consideration. Go through your cloud service every now and again to delete the files you no longer need. Also, you might want to consider transferring archived files to an external hard drive. This is more secure and uses less energy – win win.
In conclusion
Pretty much every move we make on our devices uses energy that usually results in some carbon emissions. While we know it’s not realistic to avoid it altogether, we also know that many of us can lower our usage even if only slightly. Think about setting limits for screen time in general, because choosing to do so likely does our bodies and mental health some good too!