The Internet provides free global communication and access to knowledge. But it comes at a cost to us. Approximately 1 PWh (petawatt hour) of power is consumed annually by websites, streaming services, social media platforms, and email, accounting for 4% of all electricity consumed worldwide and producing 432 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the process.
Minimal Carbon Internet shows that there are options for action and that the power consumption of websites can be drastically minimized. Saup has developed a method to significantly reduce the power consumption of websites while preserving functionality and appearance. Minimal Carbon Internet is not only a concrete technical solution, it also creates awareness about the relationship between information and energy, because increasing digital energy consumption is the direct result of choices we all make every day: Publishers, software developers, web designers, and Internet users.
A project in cooperation with karlsruhe.digital, the ZKM | Karlsruhe and UNESCO City of Media Arts.