Digital Devices cause Massive Emissions. You can Easily Reduce the Damage.

Digital Devices Cause Carbon Emissions

Even as we use digital devices every day, most people rarely think about the environmental impact. And if you ask the average person how many devices they have, they’ll often just think of their smartphone and maybe a tablet or computer.

However, the reality is far larger. The average person in the US has 13 digital devices, Telecompetitor said. The most common devices include smartphones, computers, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles, streaming devices, smart speakers and smart watches. Little accessories such as chargers and earbuds are easy to miss.

The tech industry that creates most of those and other devices as well as the apps or services for them accounts for about 7 percent of global emissions, according to GreenMatch. That percentage will rise rapidly with the growth of data centres and the increasing use of electronic devices.

Three key metrics stand out in the carbon footprint of electronic devices, Earth.org noted: manufacturing emissions, electricity usage and e-waste generation. These small gadgets require resource extraction and power-intensive manufacturing processes. Adding to the problem is planned obsolescence, whereby companies design products to have shorter lifespans. Using the devices requires energy. And as consumers upgrade their gadgets more often, millions of discarded devices pile up in landfills and release toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury.

Each Person’s Impact is Significant

While purchases and usage of digital devices varies between countries, examples from several places illustrate the impact that any one person can have.

In Germany, for instance, Oeko said the usage of digital devices results in 850 kilograms of carbon emissions per person per year. That total includes 346 kilograms from production, 189 kilograms from using them, 76 kilograms from data networks and 239 kilograms from data centres.

In the UK, the University of Exeter estimated that the 1.6 million tons of electronic waste generated annually means that each person causes 24 kilograms of waste.

And every interaction with that technology, from streaming a video to sending an email, has an environmental cost, GreenMatch noted. Each internet search, for example, emits about 0.2 grams of CO2. While this seems small, the cumulative effect of billions of daily searches globally is huge. Streaming online video accounts for more than 300 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. And there is a financial cost too. The average American family spends nearly $1,850 on new electronic products every year.

Looking just at one device, the average annual carbon footprint of a smartphone of about 63 kilograms of carbon emissions is equivalent to driving a car for 155 miles. The average person uses their smartphone for 3 hours and 15 minutes a day, Tier 1 said, and the phones contain 16 of the 17 rarest minerals.

What You can Do

Whether you have 13 or more devices, or even just one or two, there are a multitude of actions you can take to reduce your impact.

The first step, ICT Pulse suggests, is to consider a device’s environmental impact before buying it. By becoming intentional about the technology we purchase, resisting the urge to upgrade unnecessarily and choosing multifunctional devices, we can reduce the number of devices and the amount of waste we produce. Look for brands that emphasise durability and the use of sustainable materials. Also look for repairable devices, invest in repair kits or turn to local repair services to keep gadgets running longer. Purchasing refurbished devices also reduces emissions.

The next is how we use the devices.

The David Suzuki Foundation observed that every online action - whether it’s sending an email, watching a video or browsing social media - uses energy. Actions to reduce energy usage include:

- Put devices in power saving mode.

- Unplug chargers and devices when they are not in use.

- Reduce screen brightness and use dark or grey mode.

- Reduce notifications, and

- Close or disable unnecessary apps or background processes.

Globally, video streaming causes about 75 percent of data traffic. To reduce the impact of streaming download content and turn off the auto-play function on services such as YouTube.

The Foundation suggests that email is another area to consider. Surprisingly, sending just one email with a large attachment can have the same impact as driving a car one kilometre. Unnecessary cloud storage of photos or videos occupies space on energy-intensive servers operating 24/7, D-Carbonize added. To reduce emissions from email:

-Reduce the size,

-Link emails to online files instead of attaching documents

-Unsubscribe from unneeded newsletters

-Regularly delete old emails, and

-Minimise usage of “reply all.”

Rather than replacing devices, we can extend their life by repairing them and by updating software regularly. A handy model is what the Foundation calls the 6 Rs: 1) reevaluate whether you need a new gadget, 2) research to learn about materials used, 3) repair, 4) reuse devices, 5) recycle and 6) rescue – donate – items you no longer use.

The University of Exeter said that in the UK alone, extending the average lifespan of smartphones, laptops, and tablets by 50 percent would see a decline in disposal of 24 percent, saving up to 75,000 tonnes of material annually.

Reducing smartphone impact is also about using them longer, Tier 1 similarly said. Two of the most common reasons for smartphone replacement are a shattered screen or a degraded battery. Professionals can replace these parts so you can use your smartphone longer.

Tech Can Help

While devices do cause emissions, tech solutions can also help reduce the impact.

Carbon Mobile, for example, produces phones that are lighter and more durable, making them more sustainable.

Apps can also help. Earth Hero and Klima, for instance, help track carbon emissions and can offer recommendations to help reduce the impact. Cero, from Thailand, lets consumers track and offset their energy use. Plenty of other start-ups have solutions too.

While devices have plenty of benefits and are a key part of our lives, buying fewer and using them effectively as well as longer can enhance our lives and help save the planet.