Website Carbon Footprint Calculator: Carbon Footprint of the Internet (By Site)

Carbon Footprint of Dropbox

Dropbox is a “file hosting service” that allows customers to share files and sync content, making collaboration simpler.

Dropbox is one of several cloud storage services available to internet users, and they have data centers located across the United States with additional servers in other countries around the world.³⁴

On their blog, Dropbox reports that the company’s data center “storage server power” is 100% supplied by renewable energy. Since they specify that renewable energy covers data center IT power several times, it seems probable that the energy required to power their cooling systems and water pumping and treatment systems is not currently sustainably sourced.⁵⁰

Dropbox also uses a method known as “cold storage,” which saves on storage costs and disk space by fragmenting older files and storing them between data centers. Dropbox has committed to becoming 100% carbon neutral by the year 2030, and they have reportedly already reduced their carbon footprint by 15%.⁵⁰

Dropbox’s 2021 ESG Impact Report reports that their energy use for data centers in 2021 was 126,447 megawatts (MWh) of electricity, down from 167,659 MWh in 2019. The company reported that they also reduced their CO₂e emissions by 31% from 2020 to 2021.⁶⁷

Carbon Footprint of Ocean Internet Cables

Approximately 750,000 miles of fiber-optic cables lie beneath the surface of the ocean, enabling high-speed international data transmission. Nearly all internet connection types rely on these cables for secure, reliable data transfer.¹⁴ But what is the environmental impact of these ocean internet cables?

The undersea infrastructure of the internet impacts the environment through:

• Manufacturing
  • Raw material mining
  • Manufacturing emissions and byproducts
• Installation
  • Marine biome disruption
  • Installation emissions
• Maintenance
• Energy Use

Experts are beginning to truly examine the carbon footprint of the internet’s underwater network, but that data is not yet available.¹⁴

Additional Internet Infrastructure

Although data centers are the most vital aspect of the internet infrastructure, there are so many additional components, from the satellites used to transmit signals for satellite internet to fiber cables to cell phone towers. The following sections will look at the carbon impact of each of these in turn.

Carbon Footprint of Satellites

Approximately 1% of the world’s internet users (43 million people) use a satellite broadband connection. While this number seems improbably small, satellite internet use is projected to grow substantially over the next 5 years as technologies improve and become more affordable.⁵⁶

The satellite has long been considered a less efficient form of internet due to 1) the overhead costs of manufacturing, launching, and maintaining the satellites, 2) the inefficiency of energy transfer and subsequent energy loss, 3) the environmental impact of satellite debris, and 4) the consumer costs.

The carbon footprint of satellite internet is reportedly higher than other internet forms, as transmitting signals through space requires four times the amount of energy that a cable internet connection would, and satellite launches use vast amounts of fuel.¹⁹ As technologies improve through companies such as Starlink, this satellite internet may become a more competitive market.

Statistics show that the carbon cost of broadcasting one hour of satellite television is .11g CO₂e for the broadcast and 21g CO₂e for reception.¹⁷ There are no readily available data for CO₂e emissions associated with satellite internet.

Carbon Footprint of Mobile Data

Mobile data has grown significantly in recent years, and it is estimated that by 2025 there will be more than 1 billion 5G data connections globally. Nearly 57% of website traffic routes through mobile devices these days, a 75% increase from 8 years ago. While not all of this traffic uses mobile data, a significant portion of it does.³⁰

Cellular data plans rely on data centers to store and transmit data, just like wired internet. In the case of cellular, a wireless signal from a mobile device must first be sent to the cell tower so that it can be transferred by cable or fiber to the data center. The data must travel back across the wire to the cell tower so that a wireless signal can be transmitted back to the user.

Mobile data’s unique contributors (not data centers) to greenhouse gas emissions include:

• Radio Access Networks (RAN) to send and receive data signal
• Infrastructure and Network Energy Consumption (cell towers, cooling systems, etc.)
• Operations (Cellular providers, offices, retail, etc.)

Cell towers are a critical piece of this puzzle, and they have a hefty carbon footprint. A 2017 study by Kleinman Center for Energy Policy reported that the carbon footprint of cell phone towers approximated 230 million tons (~209 million metric tons) per year, but it is certainly a much larger number today.

According to GSMA.com, most energy consumption in mobile networks (87%) can be attributed to the radio access networks (RAN), with 12% to infrastructure (including data centers) and 1% for operations. The most recently available efficiency metric from 2022 indicates that .17 kWh of electricity is spent for every GB of data transferred.²⁷

Remember that the average mobile internet user consumes 5.6 GB of data monthly, and there are 4.32 billion mobile internet users globally. The following equations provide rough estimates of the average users’ mobile data carbon footprint as well as the global impact of mobile data. Use the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator to Avoid Step 3.

Average Mobile Data User’s Carbon Footprint

Step 1:

Average Monthly Data Use 5.6 GB

x 12 Months x 12

____________________________________________________________________________

= Average Annual Data Use Per User = 67.2 GB

Step 2:

Average Annual Data Use 67.2 GB

x Kilowatts of Electricity Per GB x .17 kWh

____________________________________________________________________________

= Annual Energy Consumption Per Average User = 11.42 kWh

Step 3:

Annual Energy Consumption Per Average User 11.42 kWh

x CO₂e Coefficient x .000114 metric tons

____________________________________________________________________________

= Average Mobile Data User’s Carbon Footprint = .00114 metric tons

= 1.14 kilogram CO₂e

Mobile Data’s Overall Carbon Footprint

Step 1:

Average Monthly Data Use 5.6 GB

x 12 Months x 12

____________________________________________________________________________

= Average Annual Data Use Per User = 67.2 GB

Step 2:

Average Annual Data Use 67.2 GB

x Number of Mobile Internet Users x 4.32 billion

____________________________________________________________________________

= Annual Data Consumption of Industry = 290.30 b GB

Step 3:

Annual Data Consumption of Industry 290.30 b GB

x Kilowatts of Electricity Per GB x .17 kWh

____________________________________________________________________________

= Annual Energy Consumption of Industry = 49.35 b kWh

Step 4:

Annual Energy Consumption of Industry 49.35 b kWh

x CO₂ Coefficient x .0001 metric tons

____________________________________________________________________________

= Mobile Data’s Estimated Carbon Footprint = .0049 b metric tons

= 4.9 mil metric tons

Carbon Footprint of Cable Internet

According to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, 82 million Americans have broadband cable internet, equal to 84% of U.S. households. The carbon footprint of cable internet is equal to all of the direct and indirect emissions associated with:

• Manufacture of Coaxial Cable
• Manufacture of Hardware
• Installation of Cable Network
• Maintenance of Cable Network
• Energy Transfer
• Internet Service Providers

Due to the heat produced by coaxial cables, they require cooling, thus consuming more energy.²⁹ A study from 2017 showed that coaxial cable networks operating at 50 Mbps generate about 2.7 tons of CO₂e per year.⁶

Carbon Footprint of Fiber Internet

Fiber internet is a quickly growing industry to which nearly half of all U.S. households now have access.²³ Fiber provides the fastest internet connections available, and incredibly, also seems to be more sustainable than other types of internet.

A European Commission study from 2017 found that fiber internet is the most efficient and eco-friendly option available. The report states that at 50 Mbps, fiber networks emit about 1.7 tons of CO₂e annually, compared to 2.7 tons of CO₂e for traditional cable internet services.⁶

Carbon Footprint of Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Internet service providers (ISPs) are companies that provide internet access (usually by monthly subscription) to customers’ homes and businesses. These companies oversee and troubleshoot internet connectivity issues inside and outside of the home. The organizations are often tied to other services such as cable TV, cellular service, or satellite TV.

Some well-known ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Spectrum Cable.⁷³

When calculating the carbon footprint of the internet, it is very difficult to account for the indirect emissions produced by ISPs. Comcast’s 2023 Carbon Footprint Data Report shows that the company has reduced its annual carbon footprint (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) from 2.5 million metric tonnes in 2019 to 1.6 million metric tonnes in 2022.

It is nearly impossible at this point to determine the exact percentage of that number that contributes directly to providing internet service to customers, but this number provides a bit more context for how diffuse the internet’s support system and carbon impact are spread out.

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Internet Hardware?

The internet’s vast infrastructure and ISPs ensure that the data a customer requests is processed and delivered to their home. But once the signal reaches the home, it is up to the customer’s internet hardware to relay the data to the proper device. In most cases, the ISP provides the necessary equipment for a fee, with their service subscription.

Internet service relies upon modems and routers to reach an individual’s personal device.

Carbon Footprint of Modems

The modem is the device that provides internet service to a customer’s home by connecting the home to the ISP.¹⁰

An article published in 2021, reports that the average lifetime (5-year) CO₂e emissions of a single modem approximates 5.84kg.⁷²

Carbon Footprint of Routers

Routers are hardware devices that provide wired and wireless connections for the devices in the home, facilitating inter-device communication.¹⁰

A Swedish research study published in 2022 reported that most of a router’s carbon footprint is generated during usage rather than production due to the fact that routers are constantly operating to provide uninterrupted signals. The study analyzed a specific router’s energy consumption and determined that the 9-year lifetime carbon footprint was 425.3 kgCO2e.

Other routers for comparative analyses had slightly smaller emissions at approximately 387kg CO₂e.⁵¹

Carbon Footprint of Personal Devices

Personal devices such as smartphones, computers, and tablets are increasingly necessary in modern society. While these devices have made life easier on so many levels, they do not come without a cost, both financial and environmental.

Smartphones

As of 2023, 6.92 billion smartphone users are scattered across the globe, more than 86% of the total population.

Meanwhile, the number of people with multiple devices has propelled the absolute number of mobile connections to more than 11.7 billion, far exceeding the world population.

The number of unique smartphone users represents a 50% increase from 2017 data, and some predictions suggest that more than 70% of internet users will exclusively use smartphones to access the internet by the year 2025.^{53, 65}

A 2016 study examining the carbon footprint of a Sony smartphone found that it had a lifetime carbon footprint of approximately 57kg of CO₂e, assuming a 3-year lifespan and not accounting for the GHG emissions generated by networking and data center infrastructure. Manufacturing alone accounted for more than 80% of the overall carbon footprint and this proportion holds true today. Although these figures are fairly dated at this point, they are similar to more recent numbers reported by leading smartphone producers Apple and Samsung.⁴⁰

Apple reports that the iPhone 14 Pro Max which was introduced in 2022 has a lifetime footprint of approximately 73kg CO₂e, 79% of which is attributed to production.³³ In comparison, Samsung’s 2023 environmental report on the Galaxy S23+ indicates a lifetime carbon footprint of 58.8 kg CO₂e with over 83.7% attributed to production emissions.⁵¹

Note that smartphones with higher storage capacities have larger carbon footprints.⁵

These emissions can be mitigated by planting trees to offset the carbon footprint of smartphones.

Computers

According to Apple, their 16” Macbook Pro laptop, introduced in 2023, emits 300kg of carbon emissions during its lifetime, 74% of which is generated during production. The carbon footprint of laptop computers is significantly less than that of desktops, which often require the production of a separate computer and display (except for the iMac).

The 2023 Mac Pro combined with the Pro Display XDR generate a total of 2,621kg CO₂e over their lifetime, and unlike other personal devices, approximately half of the GHG emissions are generated from use.

Note that this is at least partially due to the fact that desktop computers generally have a longer lifespan (up to 10 years), far surpassing the 2-3 year lifespan of iPhones and the 5-7 year lifespan of Macbooks.⁵⁵

Tablets

Although tablets do not currently compete with smartphones for overall market share, the number of people worldwide using tablets is still a staggering 1.28 billion.⁴² According to Apple, the 9th generation iPad has a lifetime carbon footprint of 75kg CO₂e, 78% of the production of the product.²² Whereas, the 2018 iPad Pro (11”) was calculated at 113kg CO₂e.⁵²

Apple is a leader in the market for personal devices and has been for many years. Apple has also been decently proactive in reducing its carbon output, with a commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. And although Apple is only a slice of the market, its transparency in reporting the carbon footprints of its products makes it easier to observe trends over time.

The following table explores the carbon footprint of Apple’s currently available personal devices, as well as older models.

* Older models are included in italics for the purpose of comparing emissions over time.¹⁶

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Video Streaming?

Statistics indicate that people are spending more time streaming video. Current estimates suggest that the average person streams 17 hours of videos each week!!³ That amounts to almost 900 hours each year.

A single hour of video streaming emits nearly 100g of CO₂e, compared with 55g of CO₂e for one hour of music streaming. Combining these statistics, the average person would generate 90,000g (90kg) of CO₂e each year, streaming video alone.⁴⁴

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Software Applications?

When people aren’t texting, streaming videos, or engaging on social media platforms, they are likely downloading and trying out new software applications. The average mobile user has 80 software apps installed on their phone!³⁷

The carbon footprint of a software app is highly dependent upon the app in question. In 2021, Tik Tok’s app had one of the highest GHG outputs, generating 2.63g of CO₂e each minute. Reddit followed closely behind at 2.45g/minute. The same source reported that YouTube’s app was responsible for only 0.46g/minute.¹⁴

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Emails?

For many years, electronic mail has been preferred over traditional “snail” mail. Email has introduced a level of ease, efficiency, and convenience to personal and business communication that was never a possibility with traditional mailings. With email, an individual can receive and respond to a message within minutes. . . even when communicating with a friend or colleague across the ocean.

The instant transmission of email is one of its biggest appeals, and from so many angles, email communication seems like an absolute win! Less paper waste, less fuel burned in mail delivery, and less time waiting for a message to be received! Yet, no technology is completely without its drawbacks, and the carbon footprint of emails warrants serious consideration.

Getting an idea of email carbon footprint means understanding the complexity of data transmission and data storage. Every email that is sent requires electricity to power its transmission.

Every email that is kept rather than deleted requires data center energy to maintain storage. Every email is viewed on an electronic device that was probably produced through carbon-heavy manufacturing. These are the factors that have the most influence on the carbon load of email:²⁸

• The size of the email. Larger emails with attachments require significantly more energy to transmit than small text emails.
• The number of people receiving the email. Group emails use more energy.
• The device used to send the email or read the email. Smartphones emit less CO₂ than computers.
• The amount of time spent drafting or reading emails. The longer the device is active, the more electricity it uses.
• Whether emails are deleted or kept. Every email kept must be stored in the cloud, increasing data center load and energy use.
• The email service used. Gmail by Google is more eco-friendly than many large competitors and most small-scale business email servers because their data storage centers are run on renewable energy sources.⁶⁶

Analyses conducted in recent years indicate that the carbon footprint of the average email ranges from .03g to 26 g of CO₂e, contributing as much as 150 million tons of CO₂ annually, which was the equivalent of 0.3% of global emissions in 2019.⁷⁰

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency appears to be a carbon guzzler. In 2022, the electricity consumption associated with cryptocurrency mining was estimated at approximately 110TWh (110 billion kWh) or .4% of global electricity consumption.¹⁷

Using the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator provides a carbon footprint estimate of 47,585,373 million metric tons of CO₂e.

Infographic: Carbon Footprint of the Internet (Internet Carbon Footprint Calculator)

As this article has undoubtedly demonstrated, calculating the true carbon footprint of the internet is a labor-intensive, mind-bending process.

How can one quantify a technology system that is intertwined with nearly every aspect of an average person’s daily life?

Various numbers regarding the internet’s share in global emissions are circulating around the internet itself. Most sources suggest that the internet and its support systems are responsible for as much as 3-4% of annual emissions. Some sources place this number much higher at around 9 to 10%.

An internet carbon footprint calculator is a good way to get a ballpark estimate of the internet’s impact on the environment and also the impact of an individual’s personal internet use.

Internet Carbon Footprint vs. Digital Carbon Footprint

Internet carbon footprint is a vast and complex topic with so many unseen variables. A digital footprint is the data trail left behind by an individual’s online activities and habits, but what is a digital carbon footprint? Digital carbon footprint can be considered an even broader term, encompassing the internet’s carbon footprint as well as all other forms of digital technology around the world.

The carbon footprint of digital technologies was estimated at 3.7% of total emissions in 2019, double from four years prior, and this number is expected to have increased dramatically in the years since.^{11, 68}

The leading contributor to the overall digital footprint is the internet, its vast infrastructure, and rapidly increasing web traffic worldwide, explored in depth through this article. Other contributors include:

1. Personal Device Manufacturing, Shipping, Energy Consumption, and Disposal
2. Digital Appliances and Accessories
3. Digitized Machinery
4. Media/Communication Companies

Personal Device Manufacturing, Shipping, Energy Consumption, And Disposal

Personal devices are the order of the day, and it would be difficult to find a person in the United States who does not rely on a personal device to some extent. A personal device is an electronic gadget used by an individual to store or transfer data.⁴⁹ The most familiar and common of these are desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Personal devices are integral to the operation of the modern workplace, particularly crucial for the burgeoning sphere of remote work. But more than that, personal devices now serve as a tether to the outside world, providing access to entertainment, news, shopping, food, and finances all in one place.

Understanding the carbon footprint of iPhone or personal computers means taking into account the energy costs of manufacturing the devices and shipping them around the world, the energy consumed by near-constant use of said devices, as well as the environmental impact of recycling and/or disposing of end-of-life devices.

According to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA), there were 5.4 billion mobile subscribers alone in 2022, an incredible 68% of the global population using mobile devices.²⁶

The vast majority of a device’s carbon footprint is formed during the manufacturing phase of its life, which accounts for as much as 80% of its total carbon footprint. The implication here is that an individual’s digital carbon footprint can be dramatically reduced by extending the lifespan of personal devices and recycling older devices to be refurbished.

Digital Appliances and Accessories

Digital appliances and accessories adorn many contemporary homes. Individual household members are increasingly reliant on digital accessories such as smartwatches and earbuds.

More homes than ever are now equipped with televisions, gaming consoles, Bluetooth speakers, printers, external hard drives, security systems, robotic vacuums, digital thermostats, etc., and often multiple of each (See the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Life Cycle Assessment Data for TV-LED).

Even some newer washing machines, microwaves, dishwashers, and refrigerators – coined “smart appliances” –  can be operated remotely through a wireless internet connection. These all rely on microchips to operate, something most people would take for granted and not even think to consider the energy and water expended in manufacturing all of those chips.

The carbon footprint of manufacturing microchips is a huge contributor to global emissions. Chip manufacturing plants owned by a single company – Samsung – were responsible for 12.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, and Samsung is not even leading the industry in chip production.¹⁵⁹

Digital Machinery

Digitized machinery goes beyond the realm of digital appliances to consider how technology has become indispensable in the manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation industries.

Digital is synonymous with increased efficiency, propelling automation in industry settings, digital monitoring and management for farms, as well as increased digitization in personal vehicles and military operations.

Reliance on digital technology is at an all-time high, and the good news is that digital technologies appear to be decreasing industrial carbon output.⁴⁴ Awareness of the energy costs associated with manufacturing and operating digital machinery can help pave the way for carbon-neutral manufacturing, farming, and transportation.

Media Companies and Digitized Content Producers

Media companies are really an entirely separate conversation that would require more space than what is allotted here. However, it is essential to recognize the architecture of the digital world and acknowledge the enormous amounts of energy that go into producing the digitized content that is consumed on a daily basis.

From individual producers crafting YouTube and TikTok videos to large networks broadcasting sporting events and breaking news reports to large studios producing films for the big screen and shows for home viewing, the constant demand for digitized media is met with an astounding supply of digital content.

What Is a Carbon Footprint?

In recent years, more individuals and businesses have set about the task of reducing their carbon footprints. To do that, a person must first have a clear understanding of what a carbon footprint actually is. So… what is a carbon footprint?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a carbon footprint as ”the total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company.” Greenhouse gases are those that absorb infrared radiation from the atmosphere. The most well-known greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO₂), but there are many others, including:

• Nitrous oxide
• Methane
• Ozone
• Chlorofluorocarbons
• Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
• Hydrofluorocarbons
• Perfluorocarbons
• Sulfur hexafluoride

Excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are problematic because in absorbing infrared radiation they trap in the sun’s heat, creating an insulating effect known as global warming which alters the planet over time.

The average individual’s carbon footprint is the composite of their daily activities, the items they use, the places they go, and the choices they make. The following list of obvious and less obvious examples is just a small sample of things that contribute to a person’s carbon footprint.

A person’s carbon footprint grows each time they:

• Travel by fuel-powered vehicles such as cars and planes
• Heat or cool their home
• Order from Amazon
• Mow their yard
• Waste food
• Floss their teeth
• Buy plastic
• Leave a light on
• Feed their dog
• Flush the toilet
• Turn on the TV
• Buy new clothes
• Throw something away

Some of these activities create a larger impact than others, but all are contributing factors. Carbon footprint calculation is tricky with so many variables to consider and account for and the amount of guesswork that goes into estimating individual and household averages.

Yet, there are informative carbon footprint calculators available online (See the EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator) which allow individuals to answer a few questions or input some information to obtain a general idea of their carbon footprint. And for people who want to know how to calculate carbon footprint manually, there are ways to do that too!

The good news is that once a person calculates their carbon footprint, they can figure out what steps they can take to change it. There are a lot of ways for someone to lessen their negative impact on the environment. The following are examples of carbon offsets that can have a dramatic, positive effect:

• Planting trees
• Composting
• Growing food
• Investing in solar energy
• Driving an electric vehicle
• Reducing, reusing, and recycling

By making small lifestyle changes over time, people can get closer to the goal of becoming carbon neutral!

Does the Internet Have a Carbon Footprint? (Internet Carbon Footprint)

Anything that consumes energy has a carbon footprint, and the carbon footprint of the internet is directly correlated with the annual 416.2TWh of electricity required to sustain it.⁴³

Digitalization has made the world cleaner and greener in so many ways, especially through reducing demand for fossil fuels and expendable resources such as trees, increasing the efficiency of communication and production, and providing access to information and products that promote a green society and economy.⁷⁰

As much as digitalization has already paved the way for greening the environment, it can be cleaner still. An article by the United Nations University describes how digital technology can further revolutionize the way society understands and uses energy if governments around the world make this a primary goal.⁴¹

It begins with recognizing the internet’s carbon footprint. Digital technology is the present and the future, and its potential for positive environmental impact cannot be overstated. Understanding the true carbon emissions associated with the internet is critical to ensuring that digitalization continues to aid, rather than hinder, sustainability.

It can be difficult to conceptualize the Internet’s carbon footprint when the inner workings of the system are not visible to the average Internet user. The carbon footprint of the internet includes:

• Production costs associated with internet infrastructure
• Production costs associated with internet hardware
• Energy costs associated with internet infrastructure (electricity powering and cooling data centers, internet service providers)
• Energy costs associated with internet hardware (electricity powering modems, routers, and user devices)
• Energy costs associated with data transfer
• Energy costs associated with internet support (internet service providers)
• Electronic waste

Global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) or carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) were estimated at 54.59 billion metric tons (tonnes) in 2021, a 4 billion t increase from a decade earlier. The IT sector (globally) uses more electricity than every country in the world, except for China and the United States. The internet’s carbon footprint was last estimated at 1.7 billion t, and digital technology and support systems accounted for 3.7% of total GHG, comparable to airline emissions.

The digital share of global GHG is expected to double by the end of 2025 and reach a staggering 14% share of annual carbon emissions by 2040.^{8, 75}

Until now, improved efficiencies in data storage and transmission have kept pace with the explosive growth of internet use. With internet capacity expected to continue its astronomical growth rate in the next two decades, keeping an eye on internet sustainability is critical!

What Is Internet Pollution?

Every internet search, video stream, blog entry, and photo upload contributes to internet pollution, the sum of global digital activity. Although the internet may appear to run purely on happy thoughts and good vibes, it is actually supported by a very complex infrastructure. Here is how internet pollution stacks up today.

The wonder known as the internet is built upon physical, tangible hardware. Signals are transferred by cable or satellite or cell tower from one physical structure to another. Cables (and hubs), satellites, and cell towers all have high production costs, as do user devices such as smartphones and personal computers.

Manufacturing of these materials uses enormous amounts of electricity, primarily supplied by fossil fuels which release large amounts of CO₂e into the atmosphere.

Manufacturing byproducts, such as mercury and lead, or the cadmium used in semiconductors and silicon used in microchips are released back into the environment where they can potentially interact with other compounds. But are manufacturing costs the only source of internet pollution? Unfortunately, no.

After the manufacturing stage, the materials are put to use, where they enter the second stage of internet pollution: energy costs for internet usage. Every time the internet is used, data is transferred, expending energy. Electricity is required to run and cool the data centers which house the body of the internet. Electricity is also required to power up and operate user devices.^{25, 36}

The last crucial variable associated with internet pollution is electronic waste. What happens when electronics near their expiration or end of life? Ideally, those electronics would be sold back to be refurbished or recycled, but unfortunately, only about 20% of electronics are. The remaining 80% winds up in landfills, polluting the soil and water in the ground with radioactive waste. An estimated 50 million metric tons (tonnes) of electronic waste is generated annually.¹⁸

Available estimates for the internet’s carbon impact suggest that the internet and associated IT systems are responsible for as much as 4% of annual GHG emissions, but this number has probably grown in the years since this data was analyzed.

Understanding how website carbon footprint measurements are made, as well as the total carbon footprint of the internet can provide users with more knowledge and help them lean ways to mitigate the emissions generated by internet use.

Frequently Asked Questions About Website Carbon Footprint