3 Ways Your Digital Life Could Be Greener

So, you just found out your phone is bad for the planet. All those messages, likes, and late-night Netflix binges contribute to carbon emissions. In fact, over a lifetime, the average person’s screentime will create the same carbon as driving a car 50,000 miles. But what are you going to do about it? Here are three simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint and make your screentime matter.

Delete Duplicate Images from Your Device

Do you have a cluttered photo library filled with duplicates? Those extra copies of your dog eating a treat or that beautiful sunset are not just taking up space but also contributing to carbon emissions. Every photo you store in the cloud requires energy to be cooled in data centres. To reduce your carbon footprint, start by deleting unnecessary duplicate photos. It's an easy way to free up storage space and reduce the carbon emissions created by the server space all of your files take up. You'll be surprised at how many duplicates you can find – I had 176!

How to Delete Duplicate Photos on an iPhone:

• Open the "Photos" app.
• Tap on "Albums" at the bottom of the screen.
• Scroll down and find "Utilities."
• Select "Duplicates."
• Tap "Select All" and then "Merge."
• You're done!

How to Delete Duplicate Photos on an Android:

• On your Android device, open Files by Google .
• At the bottom, tap Clean .
• On the “Duplicate files” card, tap Select files.
• Select the files you want to delete.
• At the bottom, tap Move x file(s) to Trash.
• On the confirmation dialog, tap Move x file(s) to Trash.

Turn On Dark Mode

Bright screens not only strain your eyes but also consume more energy. Switching to dark mode can reduce your phone's energy usage by up to 9%, which can also translate into cost savings on your electricity bills.

How to Enable Dark Mode on an iPhone:

• Go to "Settings."
• Scroll down and tap on "Display & Brightness."
• Select "Dark Mode."

Not only will your eyes thank you, but the planet will too!

Remove Carbon Equivalent to the Emissions from Your Phone Usage

Reducing your carbon footprint is essential, but as long as we use our phones, we'll continue to generate carbon emissions. To address the carbon you're creating, consider removing an equivalent amount of carbon from the atmosphere every month.

Use our screentime carbon calculator to estimate the impact of your screen time and then you can choose to invest in carbon removal projects that directly capture carbon currently in the atmosphere.

‍