Researchers from MIT, Yale, and Purdue University say videoconferencing and streaming high-definition content greatly increases a person’s carbon footprint.
The study finds just one hour in a video conference or streaming HD shows emits between 150 and 1,000 grams of carbon dioxide. For comparison, a car burning one gallon of gasoline emits nearly 9,000 grams of carbon dioxide.
By turning the video camera off during a video call, an internet user can reduce their footprint by 96 percent. By streaming in standard definition instead of HD, someone watching videos on Hulu or Netflix can reduce their emissions by 86 percent.