We know some might not believe us, so here are some surprising facts:

  1. Spam emails generate 17 million tons of CO2 emissions annually - and 80% of them are never opened. That’s like driving around the Earth 1.6 million times, so get unsubscribing!

  2. Watching 10 hours of HD video (think: a short Netflix binge) = driving 12.5 miles in a car in terms of carbon emissions.  

  3. The cloud isn’t weightless - data centres powering your storage, emails, and backups account for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the same as the entire airline industry.

I hear you ask 'But how does my habits actually create Carbon emissions? Let have a look at a simple Google search: 

1. You type your search

  • You open Google and type something like “best coffee in London.”

  • Your device (phone, laptop, etc.) uses electricity to power the screen, keyboard, processor, and internet connection.

This energy, depending on your power source (and energy provider), may come from fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) contributing to CO₂ emissions.

2. Your search request is transmitted through a network of routers, cell towers, fibre optic cables, and other infrastructure. All this equipment uses energy to operate, including: Powering the transmission equipment, Cooling systems to prevent overheating, this electricity often comes from non-renewable sources.

3. Your query reaches one of Google’s massive data centres, where thousands of powerful servers work to:

  • Process your request

  • Search billions of webpages

  • Rank and deliver results in milliseconds

These servers use electricity to run 24/7, generate heat (so they need intensive cooling systems), rely on huge storage banks that house the internet's data.

4. The results are then sent back to your device over the internet, again passing through energy-using infrastructure.

5. Your device displays the results, using more electricity.