FYI, Those Useless Emails in Your Inbox Are Actually Bad for the Environment

How many useless emails are sitting in your inbox right now?

Yes, I’m talking about the ones we all know too well: “Got it, thanks!” “Confirming receipt.” “Nice to e-meet you.” And of course, all those subscription emails we’ve accumulated over the years.

It may sound surprising, but these emails are actually bad for the environment. A study by energy company OVO calculated that if every Brit sent one fewer thank-you email per day, it could save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year — roughly equivalent to 81,000 flights to Madrid or taking 3,300 diesel cars off the road.”

How exactly are emails bad for the environment?

Everything we do online leaves a footprint. While we often hear about the carbon impact of driving or flying, digital activity contributes significantly too.

Every email we send is stored and processed in data centres, which require massive amounts of electricity — mostly from non-renewable sources. This energy consumption produces greenhouse gas emissions, meaning even small emails contribute to climate change.

In his book How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything, Mike Berners-Lee notes that a typical person’s email activity produces around 135kg of carbon per year. To put this in context, the average Filipino generates about 1,100kg of carbon annually.

Emails alone could account for roughly 12% of a person’s yearly carbon emissions, making it a surprisingly big contributor considering how trivial it seems.

In the grand scheme of things, should we really care about useless emails?

Compared to larger environmental issues, emails may feel insignificant. But as zero-waste advocate Anne-Marie Bonneau once said, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

Deleting emails and unsubscribing from newsletters may seem small, but these tiny actions add up — much like refusing single-use plastics. Every step helps reduce carbon emissions, especially when millions of people do it together.

Actionable steps you can take today

• Empty your Spam and Promotions folders.

• Unsubscribe from emails and newsletters you no longer need.

• Delete old emails that no longer serve a purpose.

These small steps might feel trivial, but collectively, they make a real difference. Think of it as doing your part for the environment — one email at a time.

Featured image credit: fizkes via Canva Pro.