The internet as a resource
The internet as a resource – some reflections
Sue James, Member of the Edge and Convenor of the Trees and Design Action Group
Some facts and figures
No one wants a data centre in their backyard and yet using the internet means having data centres. The physicality of the internet is data centres, cables, satellites, materials and resources from rare earths (and the consequences of mining practices etc) to water and energy. The ‘cloud’ sounds very lightweight, but it comes with a heavy cost! It is estimated that digital technology now accounts fro 3-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and this share is growing.
Consider data centres - without which the internet will not operate. These have been defined by the government as ‘essential services’[1], as ‘critical infrastructure’’. The UK data economy represented 6.9% of GDP in 2022 and 76% of UK services exports were data-enabled and we are increasing the amount of digital usage, expected to triple by 2030, that create the demand for more and more data centres[2] - there are an estimated 500 of different sizes in the UK.
Data centres need energy and water.
In terms of energy, in 2023 this was 2% of UK electricity demand and is expected to grow to about 9% by 2030.[3] There is also the energy required to pump water from source to users.
In terms of water, data centres generate heat and this must be removed to maintain optimal conditions for the equipment and this is usually done through evaporative cooling.[4] A certain amount of water is withdrawn from the source and a certain amount is consumed through evaporation and so is not returned to the source. In addition, of course, there is the water usage required for energy generation (gas, nuclear cooling; irrigation biofuel crops)
So, all in all, data centres, that essential component of our digital lives, require water and energy in large numbers and predicted to increase by several fold over the next few years.
Of course, research and innovation are already on the case working out how to balance the necessary performance of a data centre with environment responsibility – how to use less water, how to use more renewable energy, how to recover waste heat. But are we doing or can we do enough in this regard as internet use continues to grow exponentially?
We have now invested all aspects of our lives in the internet: the practicalities of managing our finances, paying our bills, submitting our tax returns, accessing our health records, running our businesses, booking train tickets, making phone calls, exchanging family photos, online shopping, exchanging information, streaming movies, using audible talking books or reading e-books, listening to music, using satnav and so on and so forth. Even our land lines, if we have them, are digital – no more physical copper wires to ensure connectivity. If we have significant power cuts and the internet goes down, it all does down. If there is a cyber attack on any part of the system, there are widespread consequences. Then there is AI…
Is it wise to have invested so much of our lives in something that is inherently so vulnerable?
The implications of using the internet
Back to the beginning, no one wants a data centre in their backyard, but using the internet means having data centres and data centres involved problems with both power, water and reusing waste heat and not sending it out into the surrounding area.
It has been extraordinary to hear complaints about the location of data centres on platforms like TikTok which uses the data centre to air the complaint!
Apparently nearly 70% of the world’s population engage in social media. Putting aside the negative issues associated with the use of social media, the average emission of 1.15gCO2e per minutes calculates that an individual’s use of social media generates 60kgCO2e per year – the equivalent of driving the 535km from London to Edinburgh in a small car.[5] Incidentally TikTok appears to have the largest footprint at 2.63gCO2 per minute.
Streaming platforms have increased internet traffic and, as with other uses of the internet, involved a complex infrastructure from the data centres that store the content to the delivery networks and end user play back devices – each stage contributes to global carbon emissions and it has been estimated the information and technology sector (including streaming) accounts for 1.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions with streaming taking the lion’s share.[6]
What about web browsers and search engines which are now an integral part of all aspects of life from work to play? Apparently, 93% of internet traffic comes from search engines and the footprint of search engines can vary with some being more energy efficient than others.[7]
Having a ‘web presence’ is central to many businesses. This has been estimated at about 77.5% for OECD countries.
Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web so that academics could share research.[8]
It is estimated that an email with a pdf generates about 10g of CO2. A printed journal issue can emit about 20 grams per copy, but is ultimately more sustainable as the materials can be recycled whereas the repeated digital exchange continues to require energy and storage.
So, what to do? Do we need to reconsider our approach to internet usage?
Here we are with this marvellous system, indeed, this article was written drawing on its benefits. It has woven itself into every aspect of the fabric of our lives. We don’t know how to manage without it. But it comes with a cost, an increasing use of resources which are also essential for other purposes. Will we have to have allowances for internet use? Initially we accepted restrictions on minutes on mobile phones and paid heavily if we exceeded them; we accept water meters as it is important to be aware of managing and limiting water usage. Unfortunately, the concept of personal carbon allowances, which always seemed a very fair way to share carbon, was not considered acceptable but should perhaps be revisited. Finally, with a clear understanding of the consequences of profligacy with any use of essential resources, do we need to reconsider our behaviours and take a more responsible approach to all vital resource use, all aspects of our critical infrastructure including the internet?
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-and-resilience-network-and-information-systems-bill-factsheets/data-centres
[2] https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/the-uks-data-centre-boom-growth-trends-drivers-and-the-rising-power-challenge/
[3]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a3e9f25da47783d87723bf2/Data_centre_electricity_consumption_in_Great_Britain__2020_to_2024.pdf
[4] https://gpusmith.com/articles/en/how-much-water-do-data-centers-use
[5] https://carbonliteracy.com/the-carbon-cost-of-social-media/
[6] https://greenly.earth/en-gb/leaf-media/data-stories/the-carbon-cost-of-streaming
[7] https://climateactionaccelerator.org/solutions/web-browsers-and-search-engines/
[8] https://www.historytools.org/people/the-world-wide-web-of-tim-berners-lee