I spend a lot of time talking about sustainable web, digital efficiency, and the (often ignored) environmental impact of our work. But here's the truth most marketers and digital teams skip: Your website has a carbon footprint. And chances are, it’s bigger than you think.
Let’s get one thing straight — just because something is “digital” doesn’t mean it’s clean, or more sustainable than the physical alternative. This is a very dangerous myth.
We like to think our online lives are weightless. That websites float in the cloud, emails disappear into the ether, and ads cost nothing but a few cents per click. But the truth is messier than that. Every website you visit, every campaign you run, every unread newsletter sitting in someone’s inbox — it all comes with a cost. And no, I’m not just talking budget. I’m talking energy. Waste. Longevity.
Let’s talk about what that means, why it matters, and how to start auditing your digital presence without sounding like a corporate greenwashing campaign.
The Internet Isn’t Weightless
Every image you upload, every font you embed, every script you forgot to clean up after a redesign—it all uses energy. That energy comes from data centers, networks, and the end user's device. And depending on how your site is built, maintained, and hosted, it could be generating more CO₂ per visit than a paper brochure.
Most of this waste is avoidable. A few questions you can ask yourself:
- Is your website still serving your users?
- Are you sending emails you’d want to receive?
- Does every click you create actually lead somewhere valuable?
Does every click you create actually lead somewhere valuable?
This isn’t just about reducing image sizes. It’s about process. Commitment. Maintenance.
And the good news is that often the best practices in terms of web development are linked to more sustainable results. That means:
- Code that’s lean and doesn’t waste energy or server capacity
- Architecture that reduces unnecessary page loads (because yes, every click uses power)
- Media that’s optimized, compressed, and — if we’re being honest — often overused
- Fonts and scripts that serve a purpose, not just aesthetics
The Problem No One Likes to Talk About
Digital sustainability has been quietly sitting in the corner while the world has obsessed over solar panels and reusable coffee cups. But over the past 4–5 years, it's been gaining ground. And if you are a newcomer, let me guide you through some of the basics first:
⚠️ Fossil-Based Technology and the Digital World
Fossil fuels — oil, coal, gas — are still the dominant source of energy for most of the world’s infrastructure. This includes the massive server farms that power the internet. They’re non-renewable, carbon-heavy, and driving climate change.
When we talk about “greening” digital infrastructure, we’re talking about moving away from this dependency. That means:
- Hosting on servers powered by renewable energy
- Minimizing how much data we transfer (less data = less energy)
- Thinking about embedded emissions in hardware, not just the software
Because even your digital decisions are part of a very real carbon equation.
⚠️The Internet’s Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by a product, process, or service — directly and indirectly. That includes everything from generating power for your hosting to the energy used when someone loads your homepage on a mobile phone.
It's typically measured in CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) — a way to standardize the impact of multiple greenhouse gases.
And yes, websites have carbon footprints. Big ones, sometimes.
⚠️Embedded Emissions and Digital Products
It’s not just about what happens when someone visits your website. It’s also about:
- The energy used to manufacture the servers
- The emissions from transporting and maintaining that hardware
- The energy burned every time you run automated backups, load huge scripts, or forget to clean up your CMS
These are called embedded emissions, and they're part of what makes digital sustainability so important — and so often overlooked.
The Real-World Case for Greening Your Website
Let’s be real: businesses aren’t knocking down doors asking for greener websites.
What they ask for is this: “Can you make our site faster?”; “Why is the bounce rate so high?”; “How do we improve conversions on mobile?”.
Here’s the good news: performance and sustainability go hand in hand. When we reframe the conversation — faster load times, better UX, lower bounce rates, reduced infrastructure costs — then suddenly people start listening. Because sustainability sounds like a luxury until it starts to save you money. Key factors to consider:
- Optimizing images improves load speed — and reduces energy use
- Reducing custom fonts shrinks file size — and shortens user wait times
- Avoiding autoplay videos stops background data transfer — and respects your audience
- Enabling lazy loading means fewer resources used upfront
- Moving to a green hosting provider is usually a matter of clicking a few settings
So, while you may not sell sustainability first, you can lead with performance and then show how it helps the planet.
How Do You Measure Digital Sustainability?
Let’s be honest, we can’t measure the fumes coming out of someone’s laptop. But we can measure the impact of data.
When talking about digital sustainability, one of the most practical metrics we have is data transfer — how much data a site moves between server and browser during a visit. This is usually expressed as page weight (measured in kilobytes or megabytes). The heavier your page, the more electricity is needed to load and display it — especially on older devices and mobile connections.
💡 Formula (simplified): Energy used (kWh) = Page Weight (in GB) × Energy per GB (kWh/GB)
For example, if a page weighs 2MB and the energy intensity is 1.8 kWh/GB
0.002 GB × 1.8 kWh/GB = 0.0036 kWh per page load
Step 2: Convert that energy into carbon emissions: CO₂e (grams) = Energy (kWh) × Carbon Intensity (g CO₂e/kWh)
Note: Finding the carbon intensity (g CO₂e/kWh) depends on the location of the data center, the energy source powering it, and sometimes even the time of day. But you can estimate it by using published country-level averages. Most countries publish their grid's average carbon intensity. A few solid sources:
- ElectricityMap.org – real-time and historical carbon intensity per country/region
- Our World in Data – electricity Mix and emissions per kWh by country
- IEA (International Energy Agency) – reports with CO₂ intensity by nation and sector
- National Grid (UK) – Carbon intensity forecasts and live data
Approximate Averages (as of recent data):
- Norway 30–50 (hydro-heavy)
- France 50–100 (nuclear mix)
- Germany 350–450 (transitioning)
- USA (avg)~400–500
- India 700–900 (coal-heavy)
- Global average~475
A great example why your data centers location matter!
Another way to estimate carbon intensity is to check with your hosting provider. Ask: “What’s the average carbon intensity of your data centers?”. If they’re using green energy (solar, wind), it could be close to zero. If not, try to determine the country or state and use national data.
Full Formula: CO₂e = Page Weight (GB) × Energy Intensity (kWh/GB) × Carbon Intensity (g CO₂e/kWh)
Some stats: In 2020, the average page weight was 1.97MB on desktop and 1.77MB on mobile — up 36% from 2016. A huge chunk of that? Images and video.
The Digital Carbon Footprint: 2025 Update
Our digital activities, such as emails, online shopping, streaming, and web searches—have a significant environmental impact. Here's a snapshot of their carbon footprints:
- Average web page produces approximately 0.8 grams CO2 equivalent per pageview. For a website with 10,000 monthly page views, that's 102 kg CO2e per year.
- Email spam - Each spam email emits approximately 0.3 grams of CO₂e. Considering the vast number of spam emails sent daily, the cumulative emissions are substantial.
- Ecommerce Returns - In the U.S., e-commerce returns contribute significantly to carbon emissions, primarily due to transportation and additional packaging. While exact figures for 2025 are pending, the trend indicates a growing environmental concern.
- Data Consumption - In 2022, U.S. data centers consumed approximately 176 TWh of electricity, accounting for about 4.4% of the country's total electricity usage. This consumption is projected to increase, emphasizing the need for energy-efficient data management.
- Google Searches - Processing billions of seraches daily, Google's operations contirbute significantly to global carbon emissions. While the company is making strides toward sustainability, the sheer volume of searches underscored the environmental impact.
- Internet's Energy Consumption - The internet consumes a lot of electricity - 1021 TWh per year to be precise. That’s more than the entire United Kingdom!
- Carbon Sequestration: A mature tree can absorb about 20.3 kg of CO₂ annually.
Data Transfer = Energy Use
Every kilobyte transferred requires energy:
- On the server side (to store and serve it)
- Across the telecom network (to transmit it)
- And on the user's device (to process and display it)
That’s why reducing page weight isn’t just about speed — it’s about sustainability. It also explains why efficient design (like lazy loading, caching, and minimizing code) is a core part of a greener web.
Set a Benchmark
To track progress, you can:
- Compare your site’s page weight to industry averages (using tools like HTTP Archive)
- Benchmark against your most efficient competitors
- When redesigning, compare new pages against the old ones you're replacing
Bonus: Implement caching for returning users. Things like headers, footers, and repeat assets don’t need to load from scratch every time — and every saved request is saved energy.
It's Not Just About Data, It's About Electricity
Energy use from websites varies depending on how and where that energy is produced. If your server runs on coal, your emissions are higher than if it’s powered by solar.
This is called carbon intensity — the amount of CO₂ released per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Hosting location matters. Server efficiency (measured with PUE) matters. Using a green host matters.
The Browser Also Burns Energy
What many people forget is that browsers themselves consume energy. Especially when:
- Rendering pages packed with heavy JavaScript and animations
- Autoplaying videos in the background
- Running inefficient front-end code
Most digital energy use happens on the user’s side, not just in the cloud. Designing lean, clean, low-maintenance websites isn’t just better for servers — it’s better for people’s devices too.
That includes:
- Avoiding unnecessary client-side rendering
- Supporting older devices
- Minimizing third-party scripts and trackers
Reduced Data = Reduced Emissions
Digital sustainability isn’t abstract. It’s about choices:
- Optimize what you serve
- Reduce what you track
- Host responsibly
- Design intentionally
Tools That Help You Measure
If you're wondering how to measure your impact, start here:
- Website Carbon Calculator
- Ecograder
- Google Lighthouse (for page speed and unused code audits)
They won’t give you a perfect picture, but they’re practical, accessible, and great for setting internal benchmarks.
Your site doesn’t need to be perfect — but it should be leaner than it was yesterday.
Why Digital Sustainability Isn’t Just for Developers Anymore
It’s not enough to talk about green hosting and image compression. Sustainability is becoming a business-wide competency, touching everything from product development to marketing and procurement. Companies are waking up to it—not just for moral reasons, but because it's starting to make business sense.
According to research, organizations are now tying sustainability efforts to:
- Competitive advantage
- Cost savings
- Compliance with legislation
- Tender requirements and investor expectations
- Talent attraction and retention
In fact, some even see it as a matter of survival in the evolving digital economy.
Yet most still struggle with how to implement it. The challenge? A lack of internal expertise. Many businesses say they lack employees who understand both technical systems and sustainability. They’re actively seeking training, workshops, and new frameworks to bridge that gap.
What This Means for Web Teams and Marketers
Sustainability isn’t just a dev concern. Marketers and content teams have a role too:
- Responsible content strategy. Update outdated content, avoid unnecessary downloads, and focus on evergreen material that doesn’t create rework or waste.
- Efficiency-first UX. Fewer clicks. Smarter navigation. Clean page structure. Every extra redirect or heavy module adds carbon and loses users.
- Sustainable design & brand narrative. If your brand talks sustainability, your digital presence better walk the walk. This includes clean code, green infrastructure, and intentional choices about tracking, media, and data use.
Sustainability and Reusability
Sustainability isn’t just about reducing carbon, it’s also about re-evaluating what we create in the first place. In the race to ship new features, launch shiny redesigns, or plug in the latest tools, we rarely stop to ask: Do we actually need this?
Sometimes, it’s ego. Sometimes, it’s habit. But more often than not, we overlook what already exists — systems, content, tools — that could be reused, repurposed, or simply better understood. Instead of investing in deeper understanding or thoughtful optimization, we default to building from scratch.
There’s a growing recognition that tech shouldn’t just be efficient, it should be purposeful. The environmental cost of “new” is real: every added line of code, third-party dependency, or rebranded asset has an impact. And when we ignore the bigger picture — how a product is used, why it exists, and what it replaces — we risk building wasteful systems in sustainable packaging.
So the next time you start a project, pause and ask:
- Are we solving the right problem?
- Is there an existing solution we can build on?
- Are we designing for longevity or for launch day?
Because reuse isn’t laziness. It’s a strategy for building more thoughtful, sustainable, and impactful digital experiences.
The Data Problem
We have a data addiction — and it’s not just a privacy issue, it’s an environmental one too.
Studies suggest that up to 90% of the data collected by companies is never actually used. That’s terabytes of information sitting idle in servers, generating emissions through storage, backups, security, and processing — all for nothing.
We store user data “just in case,” without a clear purpose or strategy. But every analytics script, tracking pixel, and bloated database adds weight to our digital footprint. And worse, it reinforces the idea that more data equals more value — when in reality, it often just means more waste.
If sustainability is about intentionality, then collecting only what we need and using it meaningfully should be part of our baseline. That means:
- Auditing what data we collect (and why)
- Deleting what’s no longer useful
- Designing systems that prioritize insight over volume
Because useless data isn't harmless — it's quietly costing us energy, clarity, and trust. Having a team that knows when to hit delete — and isn’t afraid to do it, is a key step in your sustainable web performance.
Your Digital Sustainability Toolkit
While consuming content provides foundational knowledge, engaging with a community offers a more interactive and dynamic learning experience. So, you can always send me a message to start a good conversation on digital sustainability!
Meanwhile, I'm sharing a few useful sources of information that will give you a greater perspective of what matters and why:
- ClimateAction.tech - A community of tech professionals working to take climate action within their companies and industries. Great for peer support, learning, and participating in collective change—whether you're in dev, design, or strategy.
- AreMyThirdPartiesGreen.com - This tool helps you check whether the third-party services (like analytics, CRMs, chat widgets) you use are hosted on green infrastructure. A great way to audit the hidden environmental cost of your integrations.
- The Green Web Foundation - A leading authority on green hosting. Their directory helps you find eco-conscious hosting providers, and their browser extension shows if a site is powered by green energy.
- Branch Magazine (by ClimateAction.tech) - An online magazine for people who dream of a sustainable and just internet. Features articles on tech, climate, design, and the future of the web—ideal for inspiration and new perspectives.
- SustainableWebDesign.org – Estimating Digital Emissions - An in-depth guide to calculating the emissions of digital products. Perfect if you want to go beyond surface-level and understand the math behind page weight, energy use, and CO₂ impact.
Final Thoughts
Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” or a green badge on a pitch deck. It’s becoming a strategic lever across every department—from infrastructure to content, from hiring to product design.
If you want your digital presence to stay relevant, sustainable thinking should be baked into how you build, what you measure, and what you prioritize—not just for the planet, but for your people and your business.
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