Regardless of how small they may seem, each and every email, internet search, and social media scroll contributes to the growing global demand for electricity. According to the Shift Project, digital technologies are responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions and are projected to represent 20% of global energy usage by 2025. Using the internet requires electricity, much of which is still powered by fossil fuels. This produces a sizable amount of carbon dioxide emissions, making technology's carbon footprint harder and harder to ignore.

In January 2021, approximately 4.66 billion people had access to the internet, making up roughly 60% of the world's population. Since internet usage is so prevalent, the sustainable actions we take as individuals have the potential to make a large impact if adopted by enough people.

Here are some tips to reduce your digital carbon footprint:

- Declutter your inbox: Unsubscribe from all mailing lists that you send directly to trash and reduce the number of unnecessary “Thank you” emails sent.

- Use devices longer: Hardware is often produced using unethical labor and frequently becomes toxic e-waste if not disposed of properly. Whenever possible, repair electronics you already own instead of replacing them.

- Use renewable energy whenever possible: It would be impractical to eliminate all technology usage, so when you must use technology, try to ensure the source of your electricity is from a renewable source such as solar, wind, biomass, or hydropower.

Although there are many ways we as individuals can take action to reduce the world's digital carbon footprint, more pressure must be shifted to corporations and countries to act. Transitioning to 100% renewable energy must account for the entire supply chain, forcing businesses, individuals, and governments to collaborate. Big tech must also be held accountable for the energy usage of AI data centers. Since AIs must be trained via deep learning, an extremely energy-intensive process that involves processing a large amount of data, the ever-growing industry is responsible for a substantial amount of electricity usage.

However, even though technology does contribute to global CO2 emissions, it also provides an avenue to help sustainable development efforts and improve efficiency. For example, smart home devices allow for better control over thermostats, lights, and other home appliances, and can be optimized based on your personal usage habits. Moreover, AI can be leveraged to conduct climate research and better understand the effects of our changing climate. Ultimately, the world's digital carbon footprint cannot be ignored, but technology still plays an important role in the fight for climate justice.

References

- theshiftproject.org/en/article/unsustainable-use-online-video/

- statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/

- myclimate.org/information/faq/faq-detail/what-is-a-digital-carbon-footprint/