How much energy is wasted surfing the web?

The internet has revolutionised modern life, providing instant access to information, entertainment, and communication. From checking emails and browsing websites to watching videos and interacting on social media, the web has become integral to both personal and professional life. But behind the convenience of the internet lies a hidden environmental cost—vast amounts of energy are consumed to power the infrastructure that keeps the web running.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into how much energy is wasted surfing the web, uncovering the environmental impact of our online habits and exploring ways to mitigate the damage. Using statistics and real-world metrics, we’ll illustrate the energy costs of common online activities and offer practical solutions to help businesses and individuals reduce their digital carbon footprints.

If you're interested in creating an eco-friendly digital presence for your business, explore our web application development services that focus on performance optimisation and sustainability. Additionally, you can learn more about eco-friendly coding practices to help reduce your website’s energy consumption.

The energy infrastructure behind the internet

The internet is far from immaterial; it relies on a complex infrastructure of data centres, servers, networks, and end-user devices to deliver content across the globe. Every time we load a webpage, watch a video, or send an email, data is processed, transferred, and stored, all of which require electricity. Let’s break down how this energy is consumed:

1. Data centres: These facilities store and process the vast amounts of data that make up the internet. Whether it’s a website, a streaming platform, or cloud storage, data centres consume significant energy to power servers and keep them cool. Currently, data centres account for about 1% of global electricity use. However, as internet traffic grows, their energy consumption could rise to as much as 8% by 2030, according to some estimates.

2. Networks and infrastructure: Every piece of data you access online—whether a webpage or a video—travels across a network of cables, routers, and switches. Each stage of data transmission consumes energy, adding to the overall environmental footprint of the internet.

3. End-user devices: Our smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktop computers also play a role in the energy consumption of the internet. Charging devices, connecting to Wi-Fi, and processing data all require electricity. With billions of devices in use worldwide, the energy demand from end-user devices is substantial.

If you're curious about how digital infrastructure can be optimised to reduce energy usage, read our article on key features web applications should have.

How much energy is wasted surfing the web?

While browsing the web might seem like a harmless activity, it consumes more energy than many people realise. The energy demand varies depending on the type of activity and the efficiency of the websites or platforms being accessed. Below, we’ll look at some common online activities and how much energy they waste.

1. Sending and receiving emails

Sending an email may seem like a trivial action, but it consumes energy—especially when attachments are involved. A simple text email generates around 4g of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), while an email with attachments can produce up to 50g of CO2e. With 306 billion emails sent worldwide each day, the collective energy demand from email usage is enormous.

Unnecessary emails—such as spam or the ubiquitous "thank you" replies—further contribute to wasted energy. For example, reducing the number of unnecessary emails could save millions of tonnes of CO2e annually.

To learn more about the environmental impact of digital communication, read our article on the carbon footprint of an email.

2. Streaming video content

Video streaming is one of the most energy-intensive activities on the web. Watching a 30-minute HD video can generate as much as 1.6kg of CO2e, which is the equivalent of boiling a kettle 10 times. Considering that over 80% of internet traffic is generated by video streaming, platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok are major contributors to the internet’s carbon footprint.

Switching to lower resolutions when watching videos, or downloading content for offline viewing, can help reduce the energy wasted while streaming.

3. Browsing social media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn consume significant resources to deliver content to billions of users worldwide. The constant loading of images, videos, and advertisements requires data storage, server processing, and network transmission, all of which contribute to energy consumption.

With over 4.7 billion social media users globally, the environmental impact of scrolling through social media is far from negligible. Each minute spent on a platform requires the platform’s infrastructure to work harder, wasting energy with every second.

For businesses looking to optimise their web presence, our web application performance monitoring services can help you identify areas where energy waste can be reduced.

4. Website visits

Visiting a typical website may generate 1.76g of CO2e on average. However, websites that are inefficiently coded, contain large media files, or are hosted on servers running on fossil fuels can have a much higher environmental footprint. While one visit might not seem significant, multiply it by billions of website visits every day, and the cumulative energy impact becomes substantial.

Optimising websites for speed, reducing file sizes, and switching to green hosting services can significantly cut down the energy required to run a website. If you run an online business, consider switching to a green hosting provider to reduce your environmental footprint.

The environmental impact of wasted energy online

The vast majority of the internet’s infrastructure is powered by electricity, much of which is still generated from fossil fuels. This means that the energy required to browse websites, stream videos, or send emails contributes directly to global carbon emissions. Estimates suggest that the internet is responsible for 3.7% of global carbon emissions, a figure comparable to that of the aviation industry.

Moreover, as digital technologies continue to expand, the energy consumption of the internet is expected to rise dramatically. By 2030, the internet’s energy use could account for as much as 21% of global electricity consumption, underscoring the urgent need to adopt more sustainable practices.

If you’re interested in adopting sustainable digital strategies for your business, our article on how eco-friendly software development can benefit startups provides valuable insights.

Steps to reduce energy waste while surfing the web

Both businesses and individuals can take steps to reduce the energy wasted during online activities. Below are some actionable strategies to cut down on unnecessary energy consumption:

1. Optimise websites for energy efficiency

Web developers and businesses can significantly reduce the energy required to run their websites by optimising for speed and efficiency. Compressing images, minimising the use of auto-play videos, and using clean coding practices can help lower energy consumption.

Using tools like Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can also improve website performance by delivering content from servers closer to the user, reducing the energy required for data transmission. Learn more about advanced engineering techniques to improve website efficiency.

2. Switch to green hosting providers

Green hosting services use renewable energy to power their data centres, making them a more sustainable choice for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact. By choosing a green hosting provider, you can ensure that the energy used to deliver your website is coming from cleaner, renewable sources.

3. Reduce unnecessary data storage

Emails, cloud backups, and old files stored online all require ongoing energy to maintain. Regularly clearing out old emails, deleting unnecessary backups, and reducing data storage in cloud services can help minimise the energy demand on data centres.

4. Use energy-efficient devices

Choosing energy-efficient devices for personal and professional use can also help reduce energy waste. Devices with power-saving features, such as sleep mode or energy-saving settings, can cut energy consumption when not in active use.

The energy wasted while surfing the web is often overlooked, but its environmental impact is significant. From video streaming to browsing social media, our online activities contribute to rising global energy consumption and carbon emissions. As the internet continues to grow, it’s more important than ever to adopt sustainable practices to reduce its environmental footprint.

Whether you’re an individual looking to make more eco-conscious choices or a business aiming to optimise your online presence, taking steps to minimise energy waste can make a significant difference. At SmartPandas, we offer web application development services that help businesses build more efficient and sustainable digital solutions. Explore our offerings and start reducing your digital carbon footprint today.