Why We All Need to Think About Low Carbon Tech
And What Carbon Literacy Teaches Us About Our Digital Lives
We Can’t See It – But It’s There
Every time you send an email, scroll through social media, or binge your latest series on Netflix, you’re adding to your carbon footprint. It might not smell like exhaust fumes or look like factory smoke, but digital technology leaves a surprisingly heavy mark on the environment.
And here’s the thing: most of us have no idea just how much.
Image Source: Unsplash
What Is Carbon Literacy—and Why Should You Care?
Carbon Literacy isn’t a niche course for eco-warriors. It’s practical climate education for everyone—built to equip people with the knowledge and motivation to take meaningful climate action. Over 100,000 people globally have already completed the training.
Certification involves committing to both personal and workplace climate actions that deliver real carbon savings. It’s not just theory; it’s designed to drive change where it matters most—at home and on the job.
The Carbon Cost of Our Digital Habits
During the training, we did a brilliant activity that really stuck with us—guessing the digital carbon emissions of everyday actions. From sending 10 emails to streaming an hour of video, we had to rank which ones had a higher or lower footprint. It sparked some lively debate—and some surprising revelations. (Spoiler: you’ll find the answers below.)
Here’s how everyday digital activities stack up:
- One social media post (non-video): ~2g CO₂
- 30 WhatsApp messages: 6g CO₂
- 10 emails: ~40g CO₂
- One hour of streaming video: 55g CO₂
- A day’s worth of cloud storage: 547g CO₂
On their own, these figures might not seem alarming. But scale them up across billions of users—and suddenly our digital world isn’t so ‘clean’ after all.
Tech and Climate Justice: Mind the (Digital) Gap
While some of us obsess over website optimisation and email etiquette, others don’t even have basic internet access. The digital divide isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a growing climate injustice.
People and regions without tech access are increasingly shut out of climate solutions, data tools, AI-driven innovations, and even sustainable infrastructure. Meanwhile, wealthier nations enjoy the luxury of smart meters, remote energy control, and green tech—all of which help reduce emissions.
The message? Climate friendly tech must be accessible for all, not just for the privileged few.
Data, Data Everywhere… But at What Cost?
More data means more energy—and more emissions. As companies rush to meet sustainability targets, they’re collecting vast amounts of information, particularly for Scope 3 emissions reporting. But here’s the twist: data collection itself isn’t carbon-neutral.
To reduce digital waste, organisations must:
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Think twice before collecting extra metrics
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Review what data is actually being used
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Audit storage systems for sustainability
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Delete what’s unnecessary
Less can genuinely be more—especially when the environment is involved.
Low-Carbon Websites: The Unsung Hero of Green Tech
Low-carbon websites are faster, cheaper to run, and better for the planet.
In the training, we explored how something as invisible as website design can carry a heavy environmental load. One activity challenged us to rethink what we publish and store online. By reducing image sizes, disabling autoplay on videos, and stripping out unnecessary code, we learned how a ‘low-carbon website’ can significantly reduce energy use.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Beyond the carbon savings, low-carbon design improves accessibility for users with limited bandwidth, reduces hosting costs, speeds up performance (which helps SEO), and showcases a company’s commitment to digital sustainability. It was a powerful reminder that every kilobyte counts—both environmentally and experientially.
Want to know how your website stacks up? Tools like the Website Carbon Calculator are a great place to start.
The Bigger Picture: UK Policy and Future Tech
The UK has made progress—meeting its third carbon budget (2018–2022)—but we’re not on track for our 2030 goals. Only one-third of required emissions cuts are backed by credible plans.
The new Labour government has made bold pledges: clean power by 2030, doubling solar and onshore wind, and quadrupling offshore wind. Tech will be critical to delivering on those promises. But it must be smart, inclusive, and low-carbon.
AI’s Climate Footprint: Power or Problem?
AI is changing the world—but it’s also guzzling energy at alarming rates. Training large models, running servers, and processing vast datasets all consume significant power.
What needs to happen:
- Greater transparency from tech giants
- Stronger investment in renewables
- Exploration of edge computing to localise and reduce emissions. Edge computing processes data closer to where it’s generated like on your phone or a nearby device—rather than relying on distant cloud servers. This reduces the energy used for data transfer and helps cut the carbon footprint of digital services.
If managed wisely, AI can help cut emissions. If not, it risks becoming part of the problem.
So, What Can You Do?
Start simple:
- Calculate your digital footprint using tools like WWF’s Carbon Calculator and Global Foodprint Network.
- Review your digital practices—from website design to cloud storage habits.
- Raise awareness at work—small changes to email habits or data retention policies can lead to big savings.
Thanks to Manchester Digital for a great training session last month on Carbon Literacy for the digital and tech sector! At Future Green we enjoyed learning about carbon literacy outside of our food industry.
Do you use a phone or laptop on a regular basis? If yes, you can take action today!
Interested in Carbon Literacy?
We also run a Carbon Literacy Course for the food and drink sector, with the next one starting 23rd & 25th September.
Take pledges, get certified, and turn climate knowledge into action—at work and at home.
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Got questions or ideas? Email us at hello@futuregreen.global.
Together, we’re not just talking about a sustainable future; we’re building it. Let’s make every meal a story worth telling.
Stay green, stay inspired.
Future Green Team
