By 2025, the world’s digital activity could produce the same amount of emissions as all cars produce today. Smartphones, streaming services, data centres and networks all need energy and non-renewable resources to be produced and run, generating a lot of climate-changing emissions.
They keep becoming more efficient, but demand for data-rich services like videos and gaming is growing exponentially.
Enjoy more offline downtime
Grab a book, play a board game, take a walk, hang out with the whānau. These things are good for your wellbeing – and produce fewer climate-changing emissions than screen time.
How to reduce your digital footprint
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1
Stream at a lower definition
Video streaming is the biggest contributor to the world’s digital footprint. Help to shave it back, by going old school by choosing a lower definition – you won’t miss much on a phone screen. -
2
Buy fewer electronics
Manufacturing a smartphone creates an estimated 66kg of carbon equivalent emissions – 350 times the phone’s weight. Buy only the devices you truly need, keep them a little longer and repair them when you can. -
3
Switch off the screen
Use energy-savers on your screens, like ‘sleep mode’ on computers and ‘auto power down’ on TVs. If you just want background noise, use the radio instead.