How we calculate the carbon footprint of your internet
To calculate the carbon footprint of your internet usage at home, we need to know exactly what you've been watching on Netflix.
Not really. But we do need to know roughly how many hours you and the people you live with spend streaming content every month.
Next, we add that with your overall combined internet use in hours. So all that internet shopping and hours spent watching TikToks... that all counts.
Finally, we take into account the type of internet connection you have and how many screens you have, to give your internet's monthly carbon footprint.
To calculate the carbon footprint of your internet usage at home, we need to know exactly what you've been watching on Netflix.
Not really. But we do need to know roughly how many hours you and the people you live with spend streaming content every month.
Next, we add that with your overall combined internet use in hours. So all that internet shopping and hours spent watching TikToks... that all counts.
Finally, we take into account the type of internet connection you have and how many screens you have, to give your internet's monthly carbon footprint.
Tips for reducing your internet-related emissions
Who doesn't love to stream movies, message friends and share great cat memes? These tips help you do all that... but using way less energy.
Instead of streaming the movies, shows and playlists that you will watch again, download to your device once and save energy.
Always adding attachments to emails? Try linking to documents instead and avoid sending messages to multiple people.
Instead of reaching for your phone any time you have a spare moment, daydream, people-watch, or listen to what's going on around you.
Watching videos represents 60% of the world's internet traffic. Reduce bandwidth by switching from HD to a lower resolution.
Streaming video over your mobile network uses is at least twice as energy intensive, so watch with Wi-Fi when available.
Do you need to constantly backup and automatically update all your apps? Check your settings and only update when you need to.
Do you really need to search again? If you know where you want to go, just go directly to the website and add it to your bookmarks.
Ads are everywhere online - they slow things down and use up lots of resources. Try an ad-blocker to get things moving.
Did you know all that emailing uses resources? Find a provider that uses 100% renewable energy.
Inbox full of unread newsletters? Unsubscribe from those mailing lists you don't read anymore.
Do you really need those 25 near-identical photos? Clean up your cloud storage and delete files you don't use.
Cloud storage uses lots of energy, so try a good old USB stick or hard drive instead and protect your personal information.
How to earn a clean conscience
Offsetting is such a problematic term. At EcoTree, we aim to help people practically and financially towards a greener future. Individually, we'll never be able to completely offset or remove our footprint on the planet. We can't buy our way out of positive action going forward. But together, we can make a cleaner step in the right direction.
See our carbon manifestoOwning trees in our forests to reduce your footprint
The first thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is reduce emissions. Here's why owning one of our trees should be the next thing...
We are foresters. Proper, certified, passionate ones! So we don't just plant trees, we nurture forests that provide vital sustainable timber resources.
EcoTree forests are vital carbon sinks, where trees are sustainably managed to contribute to the fight against climate change over their lifetime.
Biodiversity is at the heart of our forestry. By becoming a tree owner, you're preserving the forest home of many vital plants and animals.
The benefits are all yours! It's your tree, so it's your contribution to carbon capture, your biodiversity haven and your profit when the tree is cut.
Got carbon footprint questions
We're here on the other end of the internet, happy to answer questions about calculating carbon footprints or our growing movement.
Ask away
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