The Carbon footprint of Doomscrolling

Doomscrolling and emails might seem harmless, but the carbon footprint of our digital habits is substantial.

Each year, the digital industry emits 3.7% of global greenhouse gases—similar to the airline industry.

Endless scrolling, sending emails, and binge-watching may appear low-impact, but these actions accumulate, requiring energy-intensive data centers.

According to Cybernews, an average email generates 4 grams of CO₂, and a typical internet user indirectly emits about 400 grams of CO₂ daily from social media use alone.

The issue becomes larger when we consider millions of people online, all engaging in these small digital tasks daily.

Cutting down on “unnecessary” digital activities can reduce personal carbon footprints. Small actions, like unsubscribing from email lists, turning off auto-play features, and limiting screen time, are not only good for mental health but can also have a real environmental impact.

Reducing our digital carbon footprint can make a surprising difference in the fight against climate change.

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One more thing, at Pfortner, we take communications privacy very seriously. We encrypt email, messaging and network communications to provide our clientele with uncompromised privacy.

If you need to protect sensitive communications, please see www.pfortner.co.za or send an email to info@pfortner.co.za, and we will get back to you.