The Dark Cloud: how the digital world is costing the earth

The virtual world is a significant consumer of electricity and contributes to global emissions, with streaming technology generating as much greenhouse gas as Spain and one Google search using as much electricity as a lightbulb left on for up to two minutes. The "Dark Cloud" investigation reveals the anatomy of a technology that is virtual only in name and is already asserting itself as one of the major environmental challenges of the twenty-first century.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 14 September 2023
Publisher: Scribe Publications

A compelling new exploration delves into the enigmatic realm of digital technology, unveiling not only its staggering economic costs but also the profound environmental harm it inflicts. If digital technology were a nation, it would rank as the third-highest electricity consumer globally, trailing only China and the United States. Each year, the realm of streaming technology alone generates a staggering amount of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to nearly 1 percent of global emissions. Remarkably, a single Google search consumes as much electricity as a lightbulb left on for up to two minutes.

What may initially appear as a intangible and ephemeral digital realm, is, in reality, far more tangible than we may assume. Today, it consumes a staggering 10 percent of the world's electricity and accounts for nearly 4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. These impacts, however, remain obscured within the deceptive mirage of "the cloud," clouding our understanding of their true consequences.

The result of a two-year investigation spanning four continents, "The Dark Cloud" unveils the intricate anatomy of a technology that purports to limit human impact on the planet, yet paradoxically emerges as one of the foremost environmental challenges of the twenty-first century. This insightful exposé delves into the unseen mechanisms that drive this technology, shedding light on its profound ecological implications and the urgent need for responsible stewardship.

Weight: 510g
Dimension: 242 x 162 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914484445