As part of its commitment to sustainable development, the SDECB participated in an activity organized by Albor Pacific, The Digital Collage. This experience inspired our organization on different levels, in particular in creating a list of tips to reduce our digital carbon footprint, either as a business or a person. This initiative reflects our commitment to the fight against global warming. It also aligns with a new project to assess our carbon emissions as an organization, in order to better understand the environmental impact of our activities and take concrete action to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Discover our 8 tips
What’s a digital carbon footprint ?
The digital carbon footprint represents the environmental impact of our activities online, like the use of the internet, social media, sending emails, streaming videos and much more. It may sound abstract, but it has a real impact on climate change.
What factors generate a digital carbon footprint ?
When we use the Internet, we consume electricity that powers the servers and data centers necessary to store and process information. Producing electricity is most of the time based on polluting energy sources, such as fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
In addition to electricity consumption, the manufacturing and disposal of the electronic devices we use to access the Internet also generate greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide (CO2). These devices require raw materials, energy, and manufacturing processes that have an impact on the environment.
Why reduce our digital carbon footprint?
Reducing our digital carbon footprint is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps slow down climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Secondly, it helps preserve natural resources by limiting the demand for new technologies and extending the lifespan of existing electronic devices. Finally, it promotes a more responsible use of energy by avoiding waste and encouraging the use of renewable energy sources.
8 tips for reducing your digital carbon footprint
NO.1: Sort your emails, unsubscribe from newsletters that don’t interest you (tip: search for the word “unsubscribe” in your inbox), empty your trash, and delete spam.
Sorting your emails and keeping an organized inbox is essential for optimizing productivity and reducing digital clutter. Did you know that over 333 billion emails were sent globally every day in 2022? And did you know that even after deleting emails, they remain in your trash if you don’t empty it, meaning they stay stored in data centers? One email emits 10g of CO2 per year without an attachment and up to 50g of CO2 with an attachment. This has a cost and an impact on the planet: a company with 100 employees generates 13.6 tons of CO2 equivalent annually just from emails, which is the equivalent of 14 round trips between Paris and New York (ADEME). Finally, cleaning up your computer, folders, and trash can help improve your device’s performance and thus extend its lifespan.
Source : https://www.arobase.org/actu/chiffres-email.htm
NO.2: Choose audio over video: Prefer phone calls rather than video.
When you opt for a phone call instead of a video call, you reduce internet bandwidth consumption and the energy required for video streaming.
Did you know that online video streaming accounts for a significant portion of global internet traffic? According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index report, video makes up nearly 80% of total internet traffic.
When working remotely or during video conferences, turn off the video if it’s not necessary. One hour of videoconferencing emits between 150 and 1000 g of CO2, which is equivalent to a 9 km drive in a gasoline car. While CO2 emissions from commuting were drastically reduced during the pandemic, those related to digital consumption increased significantly instead.
Source : https://easyrecyclage.com/visioconference-et-si-vous-coupiez-la-camera/
NO.3: Close open tabs: open pages slow down your computer and consume much more energy.
Did you know that each open tab in your browser uses system resources, such as your computer’s memory and processor? The more tabs you have open, the harder your computer has to work to manage them, which can lead to slowdowns and a drop in overall performance. In addition to performance issues, having multiple open pages can also impact your device’s energy consumption. Each open tab consumes energy, especially for maintaining network connections, loading content, and running scripts. As a result, this can reduce your battery life and force you to recharge your device more frequently, thereby increasing your electricity consumption. Google Chrome has a functionality that shows when you hover on open tabs, how much memory it’s using at the time. Try it!
NO.4: Turn off and unplug electronic devices (computers, monitors, internet boxes) because they continue to draw power even when turned off.
Did you know that some devices continue to consume up to 75% of their maximum energy when in standby mode? This means that even when turned off, these devices still use a considerable amount of electricity. For example, phone chargers left plugged in without a connected phone continue to consume energy, known as “phantom energy.” A Wi-Fi box consumes as much as a refrigerator, so unplugging it can benefit both your wallet and the planet.
Consider using a power strip with a switch. It’s much more convenient than unplugging all the devices one by one.
NO.5: Use collaborative tools such as Slack and Google Drive. They reduce email exchanges, which are emitters of CO2.
Using instant messaging can avoid unnecessary email exchanges, which emit CO2, and the data storage of these messages is much lower. Working on the same document online prevents the need to send emails with attachments and the back-and-forth after modifications. This reduces the carbon impact, as the document doesn’t need to be downloaded and sent multiple times to each collaborator. By adopting collaborative tools, you promote productivity and effective communication within the organization, reduce email exchanges, and contribute to lowering CO2 emissions related to digital activities.
NO.6: Create a list of favorite websites:
By accessing a site directly through a favorites tab, you avoid going through search engines or typing the full URL manually, which can lead to a significant reduction in digital resource usage.
A study conducted by the British consulting firm OVO Energy showed that searching for a site on Google and accessing it from the search results emitted about 7g of CO2, whereas directly accessing a site via a favorites tab only produced 1.7g of CO2. It reduces the environmental footprint of accessing a website by 75%.
Source : https://www.adimeo.com/blog/comment-mesurer-l-empreinte-carbone-d-un-site-web
NO.7: Prefer Wi-Fi over 4G, as Wi-Fi routers require less power than cell towers used for mobile networks.
Using Wi-Fi instead of 4G can reduce your device’s energy consumption by up to 80%. Compared to using mobile data through 4G, connecting to Wi-Fi contributes to a more sustainable use of your phone’s energy, as well as the electricity needed to power electronic devices. By using Wi-Fi, you also reduce the premature wear of your phone and the massive energy consumption, mainly from fossil fuels, required to power the antennas that relay 3G/4G/5G signals.
NO.8: Extend the life of your equipment: Buy refurbished devices and check purchase and warranty policies to make them last as long as possible.
Did you know it takes 600 kg of minerals, 200 kg of fossil fuels, and several thousand liters of fresh water to make a 2 kg laptop? It’s important to realize that the production of a laptop requires a significant amount of materials. So instead of opting for a new device, why not choose a refurbished one to help conserve our natural resources? By favoring the purchase of refurbished devices and checking warranty policies, you are promoting a circular economy, where products are reused and repaired rather than discarded. This helps reduce electronic waste and minimize the environmental impact of our technological consumption.
Source : La fresque du numérique, Albor Pacific
Conclusion:
Our digital carbon footprint has become a major concern in an increasingly connected world. Online activities, though seemingly virtual, have a real impact on the environment, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and electronic waste production. However, we have the power to reduce this impact by adopting more responsible choices and habits.
The eight tips for reducing our digital carbon footprint show that it’s possible to take concrete steps to minimize our impact on the planet. By sorting emails, choosing audio over video, closing unnecessary tabs, turning off electronic devices, using collaborative tools, creating a list of favorite websites, prioritizing Wi-Fi, and extending the life of our equipment, we can all contribute to the fight against climate change.
Reducing our digital carbon footprint is not only about adopting more environmentally friendly practices, but it can also help save energy, improve our digital performance, and extend the life of our devices. It’s an important step towards preserving our planet and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. As individuals or businesses, we have the responsibility to take the necessary actions to reduce our digital carbon footprint and, in doing so, contribute to the protection of our beautiful planet Earth.
Imagine if the 8 billion people on Earth applied these small gestures—their impact on climate disruption would be far greater! So, share these tips as much as possible and download the infographic today to contribute, in your own way, to protecting our planet!