The rise of digital communication has significant environmental and social impacts, including human mortality from climate change. A striking example is the carbon emissions associated with digital communication. Researchers use the 1,000-ton rule to estimate that one person dies prematurely for every 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
A recent study explored the environmental impact of lengthening email signatures in Canada. The results showed that even small changes, such as including gender pronouns or land acknowledgements, contribute to significant carbon emissions and potentially premature deaths. The study found that three extra words in a signature may result in one person’s death per year.
To address this issue, experts suggest replacing email signatures with hyperlinks or eliminating them entirely. This can be achieved by asking senders to switch to hyperlinks instead of long signatures or by encouraging the use of free ad blockers to reduce unnecessary data consumption.
The hidden cost of spam emails is also a significant concern. Despite lower carbon emissions per email, spam accounts for more emissions-producing data and wastes user time. Several proposals have been put forward to reduce digital waste, including taxes on emails and outlawing spam entirely.
Ultimately, taking small steps to cut wasteful energy use in our communications can make a significant difference. Eliminating email signatures is an easy and effective starting point. As digital communication continues to evolve, it’s essential to consider its long-term consequences on the environment and human life.
Source: https://theconversation.com/email-signatures-are-harming-the-planet-and-could-cost-people-their-lives-its-time-to-stop-using-them-251215