Internet use is now responsible for the same level of CO2 emissions as global air traffic and accounts for around ten percent of global electricity consumption. Diesel vehicles, airplanes, and cruises easily spring to mind when it comes to environmental pollution, but we ought to consider smartphone and computer use in addition when it comes to our carbon footprint.
The main reason for the Internet’s high energy requirements are the servers in data centers around the world, whose power consumption and cooling generate two to four percent of global CO2 emissions each year. But ultimately, websites also play a role: the more data a website consumes, the higher its power consumption. A simple website, for example, generates around 1.76 grams of CO2 per view. 20,000 views are already 352 kilograms of CO2.
It is therefore more than appropriate that IT companies and developers promote environmental protection and sustainability. This can be achieved through sustainable web design (also known as green web design).