Scrolling: Bad for Your Brain and the Planet

It is estimated that the carbon output from our global instagram use is equivalent to a car driving around the planet 2,071 times daily.

• Over the past two decades, online activity has rapidly increased. In 2001, 8% of the global population were online and now this figure stands at 60% - and numbers will only continue to rise.
• A BBC report confirmed that the internet, online devices and systems, account for 3.7% of global emissions. In 2020, the CO2 emissions of Instagram alone was equivalent to that of France.
• Yet, the majority of those online are blissfully unaware of the significant environmental impact their digital activity is having on the planet.
• Scrolling less, using WiFi instead of data and only replacing items when necessary, all contribute to a reduction in energy consumption in relation to online activity.
• Through consciously consuming digital content we can move towards reining in our overconsumption behaviour and therefore reducing the use of electricity and CO2 output.
• So, whenever we consider the impact that our scrolling habits may be having on our brains, we should also factor the impact on the planet into the equation too.