How much an email pollutes?


As reported by the BBC, the carbon footprint of an email is 4 grams of CO2. However, if it contains very heavy attachments, it can be as much as 50 grams per email. In one year, a typical consumer who uses email for work can emit 135kg of CO2 equivalent. As the UK newspaper points out, if every adult in the UK sent one less thank you email, 16,433 tonnes of carbon could be saved annually – the equivalent of taking 3,334 diesel cars off the road, according to energy company OVO. Spam, on the other hand, is not only annoying but also polluting: according to estimates by the anti-spam service Cleanfox, the average user receives 2,850 unwanted emails every year, responsible for 28.5 kg of CO2e. The more environmentally friendly alternative is SMS: each text generates only 0.014 g of CO2e.

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