In a world where sustainability often conjures images of recycling bins and reusable coffee cups, a team at the University of Worcester is shining a light on a lesser-known but rapidly growing environmental issue: digital pollution.
Yes, your inbox might be greener than you think—if you know how to manage it.
The Hidden Carbon Cost of Your Inbox
Did you know that every email you send contributes to your carbon footprint? A standard email emits about 4 grams of CO₂e, and one with an attachment can shoot up to 50 grams. Multiply that by the 64 million emails sent daily, and the environmental impact becomes impossible to ignore.
That’s where the Digital Sustainability Project comes in.
The Mission: Educate, Engage, Empower
Led by a team of students and supported by Dr. Daniel Farrelly (Psychology) the project set out to:
- Understand how the campus community perceives digital sustainability.
- Measure digital habits through a pilot survey.
- Create educational materials to promote greener digital behaviour.
- Enhance the Email Conservation Task (ECT)—a tool to assess and improve email habits.
What They Found
The survey revealed some eye-opening trends:
- Staff receive far more emails than students—and delete more spam.
- Students are more open to changing their habits, especially around email use.
- Generative AI is widely used, but over half of respondents were unaware of its environmental impact.
- Most participants were surprised to learn about the carbon cost of digital storage and expressed a willingness to change.
One participant summed it up perfectly:
“It was an eye-opening survey. I’ll definitely be more mindful of my inbox from now on.”
From Awareness to Action
Based on the findings, the team created posters and stickers with simple, impactful messages like:
- “Unsubscribe to save the planet.”
- “Think before you attach.”
- “Delete the digital clutter.”
They also recommended using text-based platforms (like Teams) for short messages instead of email, though always within university policy. What’s Next?
The project is just the beginning. Future steps include:
- Refining the survey to track behaviour change over time.
- Expanding educational outreach across campus.
- Collaborating more closely with the ECT to align goals and impact.
Why It Matters
As data centres consume more energy and the popularity of AI grows, digital sustainability is becoming a critical part of the climate conversation. The University of Worcester is taking a proactive stance—educating its community and leading by example.
So next time you’re about to hit “send,” ask yourself:
Is this email really necessary?
Watch the students presenting their research.