CLIMATE / ENERGY

Ranked by Pollution (CO₂)

From smallest to biggest carbon impact:

1. Google Search (0.2 g)

2. Facebook Post (0.3 g)

3. Night Light (0.5 g)

4. ChatGPT Question (1.3–2.4 g)

5. AI Image (1.5–3.0 g)

6. Charging Phone (4–5 g)

7. Sound Machine (4.8 g)

8. Light Projector (9.5 g)

9. Streaming Music (26–38 g)

10. Guitar Amp (24 g)

11. Watching TV (47.5 g)

12. Playing Games (70–90 g/hr)

13. Streaming HD Video (140 g/hr)

14. Streaming 4K Video (250–285 g / hr)

15. Refrigerator (475–950 g/day)

16. Washing/Drying Clothes (950–1900  g/load) 

17. Driving a Car (404 g/mile*)

18. Flying (350 g per mile per person*)

* These add up quickly!

Now that we understand the energy and pollution behind our everyday actions, let’s explore some smart ways to cut back and make a difference!

Digital Activities Aren’t “Free”

When you search something online, stream a show, or play your favorite video game, it feels like nothing is happening—just you and a screen. But behind the scenes, giant computer centers (called data centers) are working hard. They use a lot of electricity and water to keep everything running and cool.

• One Google search uses enough electricity to light a small LED bulb for a few seconds.
  
  

• Creating AI images (like having a robot draw a picture) uses 10–30 times more energy than a simple search.
  
  

• Streaming one hour of HD video can create as much carbon as charging your phone 50 times!
  
  

• Playing video games online—especially with friends—uses more energy than just watching a video, because it sends data back and forth constantly. Gaming on a big console (like a PlayStation or Xbox) uses way more power than gaming on a phone or tablet.
  
  

• Charging your smartphone takes a tiny amount of electricity—but we do it a lot. One full charge uses about 0.01 kWh. That’s not much, but all the phones in the world together? That adds up big time!
  
  

🚗 Travel: The Biggest Polluter

Flying in airplanes and driving cars uses a lot of energy and creates tons of pollution.

• A round-trip flight across the ocean can pollute as much as a whole year of electricity for one home. One round-trip transatlantic flight emits 1–2 metric tons of CO₂ per passenger!
  
  

• Driving just 5 miles to school and back every day can add up to over 2,300 pounds (1,000,000 grams) of carbon pollution in a year.
  
  

• Biking, walking, or taking the bus is way better for the planet—and often more fun!
  
  

🏠 Home Appliances Use More Than You Think

The things we use at home also take a toll on the Earth. Some run all the time or use bursts of power.

• Fridges use a significant amount of energy 24/7, 365 days a year.
  
  

• Washing machines use both electricity and a lot of water— 15 to 40 gallons (57 to 151 liters) of water per load.

• Clothes dryers use more energy than almost anything else in the house, but do so in bursts.
  
  

• Dishwashers, ovens, and even electronics that are turned “off” can still use power (called “phantom power”).
  
  

• Game consoles, computers, smart speakers, and TVs use energy even when you're not playing. Some can draw 5–10 watts just waiting in standby mode!
  
  

💡 What You Can Do to Help

Even small changes in your daily life can make a big difference.

📱 Use Tech Wisely

• Watch videos in lower quality (like 720p instead of 4K)—you usually won’t notice the difference on small screens.
  
  

• Use tablets or phones instead of big TVs for streaming or gaming.
  
  

• Download your shows or games instead of streaming every time.
  
  

• Search smarter—think about what you want before typing it in.
  
  

• Take breaks from gaming or scrolling—good for the planet and your brain!

🏠 Save Energy at Home

• Switch to LED bulbs—they last longer and use way less energy.
  
  

• Run dishwashers and laundry machines only when they’re full.
  
  

• Air-dry clothes when you can.
  
  

• Set your fridge to 37–40°F (3–4°C)—colder isn’t better, but uses way more energy!
  
  

• Unplug electronics and chargers when not in use, or use smart power strips.
  
  

• Turn off your game console or computer fully when you're done—not just sleep mode.

🚶‍♀️ Travel Smart

• Walk or bike for short trips—most car trips in the U.S. are under 6 miles!
  
  

• Carpool with friends or family.
  
  

• Fly less, and when you do fly, choose nonstop flights and airlines with newer planes.
  
  

• Trains are one of the greenest ways to travel long distances.
  
  

🏢 Big Companies Need to Do Better, Too

It’s not just about what we do—big companies play a huge role in pollution and energy use. But we can push them to do better!

Things companies should do:

• Use clean energy like solar and wind.
  
  

• Make better appliances that use less electricity and water.
  
  

• Create smarter tech (like AI and video apps) that don’t use so much power.
  
  

• Build cleaner cars and planes that pollute less.

What you can do:

• Support companies that are eco-friendly and tell the truth about their pollution.
  
  

• Ask for more info—like how much energy a game console, app, or device uses.
  
  

• Speak up! Share what you learn, write reviews, sign petitions, and talk to your friends and family.
  
  

🌱 Every Click, Every Game, Every Charge Matters

Everything we do—from watching YouTube, to gaming, to flying across the country—uses energy, water, or fuel. Each one seems small, but together, they shape the world we live in.

You don’t have to give up fun or comfort. But you can be smarter about how you use things—and you can help build a world that’s cleaner and more fair for everyone.

Because when it comes to saving the planet, you have power. 🌎

How We Use AI Without Hurting the Planet

My Green Planet’s Promise to You and the Earth

At My Green Planet, we care about protecting nature—not just in what we write about, but also in how we create and share our content. That means we try to be honest about the tools we use, like artificial intelligence (AI), and how they affect the environment.

How We Use AI

• Making Pictures with AI: We use a tool called Microsoft Designer to create pictures. It’s run by Microsoft, a company that works hard to be carbon neutral (which means they cancel out the pollution they create).
  
  

• Fixing and Formatting Our Writing: We also use ChatGPT to help us edit and organize our articles so they’re easy to read and understand.
  
  

What Kind of Impact Does That Have on the Planet?

As stated in the article above, even digital tools use energy and water and can create pollution. We’ve calculated how much our work affects the Earth:

📄 Making One Article Uses About:

• 132 watt-hours of electricity (that’s like leaving a small light bulb on for a few hours)
  
  

• 58 grams of CO₂ (a small puff of pollution)
  
  

• 18 liters of water (about 9 big soda bottles)

🌍 Our Entire Website Has Used About:

• 5,500 watt-hours of electricity (like washing and drying 2 loads of laundry)
  
  

• 2,400 grams of CO₂ (similar to driving a car 6 miles)
  
  

• 740 liters of water (enough to fill 2 kiddie pools)
  
  

How We Help the Planet in Return

To make sure our work doesn’t hurt the planet, we:

✅ Use tools like Microsoft Designer and Google Sites, which are designed to be eco-friendly and carbon-neutral

✅ Make personal lifestyle choices to reduce pollution—like driving less, saving water, and using energy-saving devices

✅ Support great causes that protect nature, including:

• Clean energy and climate action

• Water conservation

• Forest planting and carbon cleanup
  
  

Our Big Promise

We believe being honest about how we affect the planet helps everyone make better choices. That’s why we’ll always share what we learn about our environmental impact—and do our best to keep it as low as possible.

Together, we can make the internet greener and the Earth healthier.