The Carbon Footprint of the Internet

Published 22 April 2021

Ever wondered how many carbon emissions are generated by online activity? Our updated infographic shows the level of CO2 emissions generated through emails, searches and cloud storage.

It also includes tips to reduce your internet carbon footprint by unsubscribing from email newsletters that no longer interest you, limiting your “reply all’s”, and using renewable-powered cloud services.

Infographic showing carbon footprint of online activity

Take action today

The internet, email, and cloud-based services have cut down on tons of physical resources like paper. But the carbon emissions produced from manufacturing, powering, and cooling computers, smartphones, and data centers can add up. The greening of the internet is the next endeavor in our hyperconnected era.

We can’t sit back and wait for the internet to become net zero - it’s today's emissions that cause tomorrow’s climate change. We all need to take full responsibility for our digital carbon footprint today.

The energy used in our digital consumption collectively emits the equivalent amount of carbon as the entire airline industry.
Vaughan Lindsay, Former Climate Impact Partners CEO