We all know that feeling. You open your inbox on Monday morning and you’re immediately bombarded with a sea of unread emails. Oh, that familiar sinking feeling.
The problem
But what you may not know is that your overflowing inbox is not only bad for your sanity, it’s also bad for the planet.
That’s right, your emails are using up a surprising amount energy. Every time you send or receive an email, it requires a certain amount of power to transmit the data. And the more emails you have, the more power is used.
So how much power are we talking about? Accordion to study by the boffins at University of California, Berkeley* estimated that email accounts for about 2% of global electricity consumption which is equivalent to the emissions of about 30 million cars. Specifically, the energy used is primarily down to the need to store and process the emails… and the more emails you have, the more energy is used. The energy burn increases even more if the emails are not deleted regularly.
Until recently, this writer has been a significant contributing party to this under-exposed problem.
*”The Energy Footprint of Email” and it was published in the journal Nature Climate Change in 2019. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of British Columbia.
What you can do
Ready for the good news? This is the rare kind of problem that has an easy solution; especially if you manage teams or have influence over large number of colleagues.
So what can you do to reduce your email’s environmental impact? Here are a few tips to add to the sustainability policy:
- Delete old emails regularly. The longer you keep emails, the more power they use. So go through your inbox and delete any emails that you don’t need.
- Get organised. Use filters to automatically sort emails into different folders and unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters and mailing lists.
- Use a smaller font size. The smaller the font size, the less data is used to send and receive emails.
- Think software. Use the web app instead of the mobile app and use the offline mode when possible. The web app is generally not as resource-intensive as the mobile app and uses data more efficiently.
- Compress your attachments. If you need to send attachments, compress them before you send them. This will reduce the size of the file and use less power.
- Use a green email service. There are a number of email services that are committed to sustainability. These services use renewable energy and offer features that help you reduce your email’s environmental impact.
By following these tips, you can help to reduce your email’s environmental impact and make a positive contribution to sustainability.
Bonus benefits for you team
Did you know that your email habits can also affect your mental health? Studies have shown that people who have large inboxes are more likely to experience stress, anxiety, and depression.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your inbox, don’t be afraid to take some steps to declutter it. It’s good for your sanity, and it’s good for the planet.
Here are a few more tips for decluttering your inbox:
- Set aside time each day to check your email. Don’t let your inbox control you. Set aside a specific time each day to check your email and respond to messages.
- Create folders for different types of emails. This will help you to organize your inbox and find the information you need quickly.
- Use filters to automatically sort your emails. This will help you to reduce the amount of time you spend reading and responding to emails.
- Delegate tasks. If you have the ability to delegate tasks to others, do it! This will free up your time so that you can focus on the most important things.
Decluttering your inbox is a simple way to improve your mental health and reduce your environmental impact. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!