I’m lying on the sofa, talking to a friend, and I feel like I’m slowly melting into the cushions, like an ice cream. I mention it to them, and a few minutes later, an image appears in the chat of exactly what I just described. It’s my first time trying AI‑generated images. In this moment of suffocating heat, I don’t immediately connect the carbon footprint of the image to my situation; AI is still relatively unknown.
A few years later, AI is so tightly embedded into our daily routines it runs the preference algorithms of what we watch and how we scroll, scraping our data through the myriad of AI models in the apps on our phones. It is heralded for operational efficiency and also for its proliferation of deep fakes and disinformation.
The push for ever-larger AI models raises a critical ethical and logistical question. Innovation in AI offers immense benefits in areas like healthcare, climate modelling, and accessibility, though they come at a growing cost to local ecosystems and communities. In the few years that AI has been around, it has seamlessly embedded itself into our daily lives and it is here to stay. So are the consequences of the energy and water hungry data centres, the physical backbone of AI systems, that are needed. These systems draw massive quantities of water from local sources, often from regions already experiencing drought, water stress, or overpopulation. For those living beside a Meta data centre in the state of Georgia, this has meant the taps in their houses have run dry. In Phoenix, Arizona, new housing is being limited due to data centre depleting groundwater reserves. In an arid zone in Oregon Google’s data centres use 25% of water use in the area, while in the UK, AI data centre growth is being planned close to a reservoir, which will significantly impact water demand.
I am conscious of this while translating a text for Planted Journal. I am deep in thought capturing and reassembling prose from Spanish to English, when my partner interrupts, asking why I’m not using AI. The simple answer is that it didn’t cross my mind, while the underlying reason is that it seems incoherent to use a high-emission tool to translate a memoir about forced migration and displacement.
In our hyper-connected world, it’s easy to forget that every swipe, scroll, and click leaves behind a tangible carbon footprint. The global tech industry is already responsible for roughly 7% of all carbon emissions, a figure expected to rise with the growing energy demands of data centres that power our online lives. Seemingly small actions such as watching short videos, liking posts and sending emails accumulate across hours and days for billions of people. The carbon footprint of everyday internet use rivals that of the airline industry, though it is often overlooked in sustainability conversations. Yet it shows that even passive online activity can have oversized environmental consequences. According to CloudZero’s calculations
Every minute on TikTok emits 2.63 grams of CO₂
Instagram has a lower rate of 1.5 grams per minute
Facebook sits at 0.79 and Youtube emits 0.46 grams per minute.
Understanding the footprint of our digital consumption offers us an opportunity to shift or moderate our behaviours. I keep in mind that a basic Chat GPT search uses 10 times as much energy as a basic internet provider search when accessing information online. Sometimes AI is the way to go, and other times I use my fingers and browsing skills to find what I’m seeking. Every photo, document or comment online is stored in a data centre, whose global electricity consumption is predicted to reach 4% in 2030. An amount that is exponentially increasing due to AI. So how about doing some digital decluttering, limiting unnecessary screen time and using platforms that invest in cleaner energy? As our lives become more digitally dependent, climate-conscious choices online are becoming as important as those we make in the physical world.
Some ideas on ways to reduce your digital carbon footprint
- Digital decluttering by deleting unused files, old emails and images reduces server storage.
- Limit daily usage of high‑energy apps by using focus timers or disabling auto-play videos.
- Choose to use services, apps or platforms that are powered by renewable energy or have carbon-neutral operations.
- Change the way you stream by reducing video resolution, eg. watch a video on your phone in 720p instead of 4K.
Words by Anna Borrie
Anna Borrie is Associate Editor at Planted Journal, where she explores the intersections between ecology, art, and storytelling. Her work is rooted in a creating meaningful connections between people and their environments. She runs a community garden in Madrid, where she cultivates both plants and relationships with fellow gardeners. Her interests lie in creating collaborative environmental art and promoting zero-waste practices, seeking ways to harmonize creativity with environmental responsibility
