Carbon footprint of an Email | How it impacts the environment?

Have you ever thought about the carbon footprint of an email? It turns out that our digital communications do leave a carbon footprint, something many of us might not have realized. However, not all emails are the same when it comes to their environmental impact. For example, a spam email has a lower carbon footprint compared to an email with a large attachment like a picture.

Carbon Footprint of Email Vs Traditional Letter

Let's compare the carbon footprint of emails to traditional letters. According to research from about 13 years ago, the carbon footprint of different types of emails varies:

• Spam email: Approximately 0.3 grams of CO2

• Regular email: Around 4 grams of CO2

• An Email with a photo or heavy attachment: Approximately 50 grams of CO2

However, since smartphones with larger screens have become more popular, the carbon footprint of emails may have increased. Larger phones have been found to have a worse carbon footprint compared to their smaller counterparts. This means the environmental impact of emails might be higher than what was previously reported.

In comparison, sending a physical letter through standard shipping produces about 29 grams of CO2. So, if you need to send something important or with a large attachment, it might be more eco-friendly to opt for traditional mail. Additionally, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is planning to deploy electric vehicles to reduce emissions from transporting letters.

Does deleting Email help?

Deleting emails can also help reduce their carbon footprint significantly.

If everyone in the world deleted just 10 emails, it could save a massive amount of storage space and energy. This would have a positive impact on the environment, equivalent to saving electricity in millions of homes or reducing greenhouse gas emissions from millions of cars.

For how long should you keep an Email?

Keeping emails for long periods can contribute to environmental harm. The continuous storage of data in data centers, which are mostly powered by fossil fuels, consumes a significant amount of energy. Data centers need constant air conditioning to keep their servers cool, adding to the emissions and energy consumption. Internet use, including email storage, has been found to have CO2 emissions comparable to the aviation industry.

By deleting unnecessary emails, we free up space in data centers, making them more efficient and reducing power consumption. However, the ultimate solution to the carbon footprint of emails lies in shifting data centers toward renewable energy sources. This change in the system is essential for a greener digital future.

So, while emails are more environmentally friendly than physical letters in most cases, it's crucial to be mindful of their impact and take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Deleting unnecessary emails and transitioning to renewable energy for data centers can make a significant difference in our digital environmental impact.