How does streaming affect the environment?

Question

I always see posts about how streaming emits CO2 and has a high carbon footprint but I don’t actually understand how that happens.

In: 5

Answer 1

Streaming involves computers and networking equipment. That equipment uses electricity, and when it’s busy doing something (like streaming), it uses more electricity than when it’s just sitting there doing nothing.

Most of our electricity is still made by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), and that emits CO2 when you burn it.

Therefore, streaming produces CO2 by increasing the demand for electricity.