The weight of data: an analysis based on the impact on the environment

Abstract

The carbon footprint generated by the information and communications technology (ICT) sector is increasingly significant, emitting greenhouse gases due to high energy consumption, regardless of the way in which energy is generated, the expansion and growth in data centers, as well as the impact generated by the cryptocurrency sector that in the end represents is reflected in greater consumerism, processing, storage, and transport of information that will be somewhere in the world. Current research addresses the problems and the contrast of figures in energy consumption due to the use of a computer, data processing, the role of the user as an internet consumer, the impact of data centers both in carbon footprint, water footprint and soil footprint, the impact of cryptocurrency mining and its contribution to global energy expenditure as well as the ethical debate of new technologies. And finally, the advances in seeking to optimize energy resources, sustainable and conscious for both consumers and service providers, show the trends focused on energy optimization through software and hardware based on a judicious review of research documents.