The environmental impact of broadband and how it helps keep our Earth green
Many of our routine daily practices contribute to global warming by releasing harmful gasses and other toxins — from driving our cars to using disposable plastics. While high speed internet does consume energy and generate electronic waste, there are ways to minimize its environmental impact. It can even help us become more environmentally friendly overall.
According to data from Climate.gov, last year was the warmest year since global records began in 1850. Because global warming continues to increase year after year, we all must actively do our part to further prevent it.
Doing our part as individuals can make a big difference, as shown in data collected by NASA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limitations on travel around the globe drastically decreased air, water, and noise pollution within just a few weeks of the lockdown.
Humans contribute to climate change in many ways, including deforestation, fossil fuel emissions, industrial processes, and more. Fossil fuels, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gasses make the planet warmer over time.
This means that we all can have a hand in keeping our Earth green. Even though broadband uses energy, it can be used to mitigate the effects of other harmful practices.
Using broadband-powered services to decrease vehicle emissions
Cars and other vehicles are some of the biggest contributors to global warming. However, thanks to technology and high-speed internet, the need for a vehicle in daily life decreases.
While public transportation is an ecofriendlier option because it reduces cars on the road, those types of vehicles still release harmful emissions. While many automakers are trying to make greener motor vehicles, we can do something about our car usage in the meantime.
Opting for remote work and virtual schooling options reduces the number of cars out for daily commutes. Many offices and schools today have no in-person component – they operate completely online. Fully virtual institutions are also beneficial to the environment because they don’t need energy to power a building, or multiple buildings.
In fact, one of the main reasons vehicle emissions decreased during the pandemic was because many people were forced to work or go to school online. According to the Internet and Television Association, high-speed broadband delivered significant environmental benefits during the first 18 months of the pandemic. People saw tremendous savings in gasoline, which resulted in a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
Another great way to reduce vehicle emissions is by using mobile rideshare services. With apps like Uber and Lyft, people don’t have to drive their own cars and can even use the services’ carpooling options.
Like rideshare services, apps like DoorDash and Instacart rely on others who are already out on the road to pick up multiple delivery orders. Other online shopping sites like Amazon can also help save a trip to the store.
Finally, scheduling virtual appointments can save both your gas and your time. Telehealth appointments, meetings, interviews, and even virtual apartment tours can be scheduled and attended from the comfort of your own home.
None of these options would be possible without broadband.
Saving energy with smart homes
The average U.S. household consumes about 10,500 kilowatthours of electricity per year on lighting, air conditioning, appliances, and so much more. The good news is, high-speed internet can help you save energy at home.
One of the best ways to combat global warming is by turning your home into a smart home. A smart home is powered by devices that help save energy through automated features and manual control through smartphones.
Keeping track of energy usage is easy with smart thermostats and lights, enabling you turn air conditioning and lighting on and off while you are away. By using smart plugs, you can set timers that turn them off automatically, so you aren’t wasting power while you aren’t using them.
Most smart devices require connection to a smartphone, which is why high-speed internet is so important. Imagine trying to turn on your lights, only for the connection to buffer!
Additionally, you can purchase energy-efficient appliances, set-top boxes, modems and routers. When it comes to entertainment, smart TVs and streaming devices often use less energy than traditional cable boxes.
Using these devices in your home devices not only help lower your energy consumption, they also lower your bills. So, while you might have to purchase a couple of smart plugs, it’ll save you money in the long run.
Turning harmful practices into green practices
Because many of today’s necessities have a negative impact on the environment, it’s important to offset them with other sustainable practices whenever possible.
For example, you probably have used or heard of 5G network, which many people use to connect to the internet. Just by having 5G networks in your home, you’re helping the environment.
While performing the same functions at faster speeds, 5G networks are more energy efficient than previous network infrastructure. 5G networks generally deliver connections up to 20 times faster and with up to 100 times the network capacity compared to 4G, according to the MEI.
An environmentally harmful practice that many people and companies overlook is electronic waste, or e-waste, which refers to the hazardous materials that come from discarded electrical and electronic devices like phones, computers, and appliances.
E-waste needs to be disposed of properly because many mobile devices and appliances contain toxic substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium, which further pollute the air we breathe.
This is why it’s important for businesses to have an e-waste strategy. By choosing a reliable recycling partner and ensuring legal compliance for proper waste disposal, companies can prevent further pollution.
This practice isn’t only reserved for companies; individuals can also decrease their electronic device waste. Companies like Apple offer programs that allow you to recycle your device, even if it’s not their brand. For certain products, they’ll even give you some money back, encouraging more people to dispose responsibly.
Leaning into artificial intelligence
Another technology to be cautious about is artificial intelligence (AI). While AI has the capacity to help advance our society, factors like its high energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage pose a threat to our environment.
Asking ChatGPT a question uses 10 times more energy than an old-fashioned search query. AI takes up so much more energy than traditional search engines that the International Energy Agency estimates by next year, electricity consumption by AI and other data centers will reach 4% of annual global energy usage. That’s roughly equal to the amount of electricity used by the entire country of Japan.
Additionally, the mining of metals used in AI hardware can lead to soil erosion and pollution. Even the parts used for AI development can lead to more-e waste. However, there are ways to be more environmentally responsible with AI usage.
By transitioning to renewable energy sources and implementing energy-efficient practices, these negative impacts can be mitigated. AI itself can also aid in reversing its environmental impact.
AI can assist in environmental monitoring and management, as well as minimize environmental impacts of a process and supply chain. AI can also help in greening the economy by evaluating the environmental impacts of a product’s life cycle and creating plans on how to minimize negative impact.
Access to most AI technology is only possible thanks to broadband.
Next steps for our planet
Making broadband infrastructure greener will largely fall on policymakers to execute new standards for network construction and operations. We can reverse global warming by implementing decarbonization of grids, regulation that encourages shared infrastructure, and fair tariffs on green equipment.
Nevertheless, you can still do your part to reverse global warming daily. By being more conscious of your own energy intake, water usage, and vehicle emissions, you’re contributing to less pollution and waste.
You may not believe your actions can make such a big difference but think about it – if everyone did their part daily, we’d be headed toward a much greener future.
Connected Nation is here to help with not only broadband infrastructure, but with learning digital skills and implementing ecofriendly practices like the ones discussed here. For any questions or more information, email kbannon@connectednation.org or click this link.