According to Yale University, internet usage increased by 40% worldwide in 2020, triggering a demand for 42.6 million megawatt-hours of additional electricity.
To compensate for this, a forest that is twice as large as Portugal would be needed. Low-carbon website design is paving the way for a less polluting digital experience.
Digitization is set to play a central role in the recovery path from Covid-19, but the environmental impact of information and communication technologies should be taken into consideration.
With consumers becoming more aware of the environmental impact of unopened promotional emails, of Google searches, and of online shopping, brands need to overhaul their digital platforms and redesign them for a carbon-conscious future.
Recent research by ‘Save on Energy’ is aimed at the fashion industry. The study analyzed the impact of UK searches for online fashion retail brands and found that ‘Next’ is the UK largest total contributor, with website visits generating a potential of 14,000 kg of CO2 per month.
Some companies are already reacting. Italian design studio FormaFantasma has relaunched its low-carbon website, offering visitors the option to switch to dark mode, using small images, basic fonts, and a logo created from standard Unicode symbols.
UK design website Dezeen has announced plans to follow suit, focusing on image optimization first.
Possible course of action:
focus on newsletters via email, image archives, videos, and font choices. Small changes can make a big difference.
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