As NFT’s rise in popularity and continue to shake up the art world, a larger conversation has been sparked about the environmental impact of blockchain technology. From a sustainability standpoint, the concerns are not without merit. In fact, a study estimated that carbon emissions from Bitcoin blockchain operations in China are expected to peak in 2024 and generate more than 130.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions that year alone. However, not all blockchain technologies have the same environmental impact and the conversation has largely glossed over the effect of other day-to-day technologies, such as social media. 

Late last year, it was reported that a single Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram post consumes as much power as ten UK households for one year. A study conducted as part of an investigation by Channel 4's "Dispatches" current affairs program looked into factors that determine the environmental impact like the size of the photograph, the distance it travels over the internet and where it is hosted. In simple terms, the further the image travels, the more every consumer and Cristiano Ronaldo’s photos make their way to his 240 million followers globally.

While those using social media to connect with family and friends will have a far lesser impact, the study brought into question whether it’s possible to ever be a “sustainable” influencer. This includes not only the technological environmental footprint, but how digital influencers fuel mass consumption. 

Business Insider Intelligence research report predicts that companies will be spending up to $15 billion on influencer marketing by 2022, a rise from an estimated $8 billion in 2019. With social media rapidly becoming the digital marketplace, influencers pedaling fast-fashion to millions of followers have the double impact of the power used by posting the photos, and the environmental impact of encouraging consumption that is environmentally devastating during a time where the earth is “on the brink of catastrophe”, according to the UN.

Using Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram as an extreme example, it’s evident that the conversation around digital carbon footprints needs to span far beyond NFT’s. In fact, many people are unaware of the data centers required to use the internet. The energy for a single post or internet search is only a few grams of carbon dioxide, with 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide (as of January 2021), we have a much larger combined issue.

The carbon footprint of our technological devices account for about 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions. This is similar to the amount produced by the airline industry globally. This is because data center’s are still largely powered by fossil fuels, although renewable energy alternatives are available. 

But that doesn’t mean that we should all be putting our phones down yet. To put those numbers into context, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. The greenhouse calculations also don’t factor in the importance of education about the climate crisis, something the internet can provide access to, as well as further opportunities for shared learning generally and global connection.

Like everything, the discussion around digital carbon footprints is not clear-cut. As our time online continues to grow, so will the impact across all areas (from NFT’s to Instagram influencers). This should not discourage us from using the power of new technologies in a thoughtful way to address some of our most pressing environmental issues. It also calls for more investments to be made into green technological processes, something that’s already underway. The good news is that those of us with little followers can now say it’s for the sake of the planet.