Datacentres are consuming ever-increasing amounts of electricity, with recent research indicating they use 6% of the electricity supply in the UK and US. This energy demand carries a significant environmental cost, as data storage now contributes more carbon emissions than the commercial airline industry, not to mention its impact on land and water use, e-waste, and refrigerant gas leaks.
Gill Davidson, UK coordinator for World Cleanup Day and Digital Cleanup Day, argues that individuals can help reduce this problem by managing their digital clutter. Deleting unnecessary photos and files from phones and devices eases demand for data storage and its environmental impacts. She notes that reducing data clutter also improves device performance and longevity.
Robert Harrison suggests that the waste heat produced by datacentres could be repurposed for district heating, agricultural greenhouses, or hot water. He questions why datacentres are not mandated to be located closer to where this heat can be used, calling it an 'easy win' for carbon budgets.
