Many people assume that using digital technology is environmentally friendly, but the reality is far more complex. 

VIRTUAL IS NOT GREEN

While going digital reduces paper waste, the infrastructure behind the virtual world consumes vast amounts of energy, materials, and water, making it far from “green.”

Every time we send an email, stream a video, or store a file in the cloud, energy is consumed. The internet runs on massive data centers that operate 24/7, requiring enormous amounts of electricity. According to estimates, global data centers use around 1-2% of the world’s electricity, and this number keeps growing as demand for cloud services increases.

Use of Earth’s Resources

Computers, smartphones, and servers are made from materials that come directly from the Earth. Manufacturing these devices requires rare metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are mined at great environmental cost. The extraction process leads to deforestation, water pollution, and habitat destruction, while also creating toxic waste.

waste of water

One of the least known but significant environmental impacts of digital technology is water consumption. Data centers generate enormous heat and require constant cooling to function properly. This cooling process consumes millions of liters of water daily. For example, large tech companies use water from rivers, lakes, and underground sources to prevent their servers from overheating. This not only depletes local water supplies but also raises concerns about water scarcity in areas where these facilities are built.

The term “cloud” makes digital storage sound clean and weightless, but in reality, the cloud is a network of power-hungry data centers filled with physical servers.

what can we do?

Reducing your digital footprint can help minimize energy consumption, resource extraction, and e-waste. Here are some practical steps you can take:

Reduce Energy Use from Devices & Internet
Choose laptops over desktops (they use less power), and enable power-saving modes on all devices.
Turn Off Unused Electronics – Shut down computers, routers, and gaming consoles when not in use.
Use Dark Mode & Lower Brightness – This reduces power consumption, especially on OLED screens.
Download Instead of Streaming – Streaming videos repeatedly uses more energy than downloading them once.