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Before You Hit Send: The Internet And The Environment

A screen displays the logo of the open-source web browser Firefox, in London, as the software edges towards it's billionth download within the next twenty four hours.
A screen displays the logo of the open-source web browser Firefox, in London, as the software edges towards it's billionth download within the next twenty four hours.

During the pandemic, we’ve all relied on the internet and digital technology a lot. Internet usage surged by as high as 70 percent as we went to work, we watched movies, we dated, and much, much more. But all that streaming and internet use does add to our digital carbon footprint.

Even something as small as a “thank you” email can have a larger effect than you might imagine. And that’s leaving aside the impact of newly-popular technologies like non-fungible tokens, which use bitcoin.

— 1A (@1a) March 22, 2021

What effect does staying connected have on the environment? And how much does individual impact have to do with our collective carbon footprint?

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Michelle Harven