With technology, almost everything changes. It impacts mankind, the community and even suppliers like lab bench supplier Malaysia. People can live more comfortably and conveniently as a result of modern technologies. Taking a car, for instance, is faster and more convenient than walking.
Then, people began to adapt their behaviours to become more reliant on new technology. However, because modern technology is mostly powered by fossil fuels, the more we use it, the more carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, causing global warming. Traditional technology, which is mostly operated by human and animal muscles and emits less carbon dioxide than new technology, has been used in the past. This post will talk about digital carbon footprint and what we can do to make Earth better.
What Does It Mean To Have A Carbon Footprint?
The entire amount of greenhouse gasses (containing co2 and methane) produced by our actions is referred to as our carbon footprint.
Have You Considered Your Daily Online Activity’s Digital Carbon Footprint?
Every action we do online has an influence on the environment: every time we write an email, access the Internet, or utilize social media, we produce a little bit of carbon. With over 4.66 billion active internet users globally or around 60% of the global population, every one of us can make a difference in the digital world.
Digitalisation has had a good influence on the environment during the previous two decades. Still, the Internet appeared out of nowhere, and digital adoption comes at a cost. Figures for Digital Carbon Footprint:
- Digital technologies are responsible for 4% of GHG emissions, and their energy consumption is rising at a rate of 9% per year.
- The internet produces 1.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
- By 2025, the communications industry will account for 20% of global power usage.
What Can We Do?
Although public awareness of this issue is growing, there is still more work to be done. Individually and within organizations, it is critical to creating a difference by employing a responsible digital strategy.
New generations are more conscious of the issue and eager to take action. Future managers will play a critical role in encouraging environmental innovation and improved sustainability performance in the organizations with which they will work.
We need to simply reduce our email activities. Did you know that some individuals have calculated that their own emails will produce 1.6kg (3.5lb) CO2e in a single day based on earlier numbers? According to Berners-Lee, a typical corporate user emits 135kg (298lbs) of CO2e each year through sending emails, which is the equivalent of driving 200 miles in a family vehicle.
- We could skip on sending unimportant emails like thank you notes.
- Unsubscribing from mailing lists that we didn’t care about
- Avoid sending messages to numerous recipients or at least reduce it
- Unsubscribe automatically produced newsletter too
- Cautious about signing up accounts with numerous sites.
According to Cleanfox, the typical user receives 2,850 unsolicited emails each year from subscriptions, resulting in 28.5kg (63lbs) of CO2e being released into the atmosphere.
Technological Innovation:
The second thing that we can do is to foster new innovation on existing technologies that are needed. If we can develop better creations for things like lab bench supplier Malaysia, gaming equipment and culinary utensils, we need technology to contain the ‘side technology residues’.
Search Engine
Use alternative search engines. Newer search engines are aiming to distinguish themselves from the start as greener solutions. For every 45 searches, Ecosia, for example, promises to plant a tree. This type of carbon offsetting can assist to remove carbon from the atmosphere, but the effectiveness of these initiatives is typically determined by the length of time the trees grow and what happens to them once they are cut down. Therefore try Ecosia now.
Entertainment
Love lounging around while getting some entertainment? According to The Shift Project, watching online videos accounts for 60 per cent of worldwide internet traffic. It produces 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, or around 1% of the global emissions. This is because, in addition to the energy needed by devices, the servers and networks that deliver the material use energy.
What we can do if we want to watch Netflix or Hulu without less guilt. You can:
- Watch any shows or movies together rather than separately
- Consume less pornography
Pornography accounts for a third of all video streaming traffic, emitting as much CO2 as Belgium does in a year. Some of the pollution caused by internet use is also caused by some really filthy surfing.
Music
Streaming music leaves carbon footprints too. But really, music is life. Listening to the radio, Spotify or Apple Music while going to work is what makes our day even better. Podcasts and streamers’ audio are also well-liked. How can we reduce our carbon footprint?
- Download your favourite songs to play them offline
- Use gramophones. You can even opt for an aesthetic lifestyle.
- Hear them together (Blast the music)
- Buy a physical CD or record
General Info:
Blasting music and audio is better than images as it leaves more carbon footprint. Also, if you cannot do all the above, just make small changes. Small changes will impact the Earth. Do it, practice it and the outcome will be better. Individual carbon footprints may be reduced over time. From 13 tonnes to 2 tonnes, maybe? We can start making a large difference by making little adjustments to our activities, such as eating less meat, taking fewer connecting flights, and line drying our clothing.
The entire amount of greenhouse gasses (containing co2 and methane) produced by our actions is referred to as our carbon footprint.
In Conclusion
We all have our responsibilities towards the Earth. The latest technological industry is mainly founded on economic structures that are meant to be unsustainable. Furthermore, these technologies and their use have considerable effects on the environment in general as well as the climate’s elements. As these technologies become more extensively utilized, their negative effects will become more pronounced. We hope that the corporate and government take this issue seriously. What we can do is play our part.