What Is The Carbon Cost of Our Digital Lives?

The internet produces about a billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, roughly the same as the aviation industry, according to one recent study. Every time you click a photo, like a post, or get an e-mail and it’s backed up in the cloud, it’s stored in a data center – a massive facility filled with thousands of computer servers. And these data centers are projected to double their energy consumption by 2026 as companies such as Google and Microsoft invest heavily in AI. We discuss our digital carbon footprint and whether we can make a difference.

Guests:

Andrew R. Chow, correspondent, Time; author of the forthcoming book "Cryptomania"

Jonathan Koomey, Ph.D., researcher and scientist, Koomey Analytics; author of 'Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving' and 'Solving Climate Change: A Guide for Learners and Leaders'

Danny Cullenward, climate economist and lawyer focused on the design and implementation of scientifically grounded climate policy

Malcolm Hawker, head of data strategy, Profisee

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices