In an increasingly digital world, where our lives are intricately intertwined with technology bringing the convenience and connectivity we so desire, a new form of waste has emerged — digital trash. Analogous to physical waste that clutters our physical environments and strains our resources, digital trash poses similar challenges in the virtual realm. Despite its pervasive presence and potential environmental implications, digital trash often escapes the scrutiny and conscientious management that physical waste demands. Let’s explore the parallels between digital and physical trash, examine the environmental impacts of digital waste, and advocate for responsible management practices to mitigate these effects.

In the realm of digital spaces, we have personal and work-related environments akin to our physical personal and work-related spaces. However, unlike physical spaces that are visibly cluttered with tangible items, digital trash accumulates in unseen digital forms such as obsolete outdated and orphaned files, redundant backups, and forgotten digital footprints. The internet, once envisioned as an ethereal space, is now burdened with digital garbage — vast amounts of data stored on servers that require constant energy consumption(1).

Image by Tara Winstead

The storage and maintenance of digital trash carry tangible environmental consequences. Servers, which house this digital debris, operate around the clock consuming significant amounts of electricity. According to the International Energy Agency, data centers globally consumed 460 terawatt-hours in 2022 and could rise to more than 1000 terawatt-hours by 2026(2), a figure projected to rise as digitalization accelerates. A terawatt-hour is equivalent to 1 billion kilowatt-hours. This consumption contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and strains our energy resources, reflecting a hidden cost of digitalization that often goes unnoticed.

Image by Manuel Geissinger

(continue to Part 2)

1. Mahan, J. (2023). Understanding Data Center Energy Consumption. C&C Technology Group.
2. International Energy Agency. (2024). Electricity 2024 - Analysis and forecast to 2026. IEA Publications.
3. Gluck, S. (2022). Hoarding Disorder: Compulsive Hoarding Is a Mental Illness. HealthyPlace.
4. United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. (2010). Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. United Nations.
5. Eser, A. (2024). Global Big Data Industry Statistics: Explosive Growth and Transformative Impact. Worldmetrics.org.