Most people in developed nations under the age of 30 won’t remember a time where they did not have access to the internet but in reality, access to the world of online information, social media, shopping and so much more has only been part of everyday life for the past 20 years or so.
The internet has improved our lives in so many ways. It has made access to information much more equal. Many people can now source news and educational materials that were once only available to those who had the money to purchase expensive books such as sets of encyclopedia or who lived close to shops where they could easily access newspapers.
There is also email which we now associate with internet access. Email allows fast and effective written communication which once relied on physical delivery systems such as mail and later fax machines. Email has changed the way that businesses are able to operate and has enabled them to be more responsive to customers all around the world.
While the Internet is an invisible web, all the information is physically stored somewhere. It is stored in massive data centres which look like giant warehouses. It’s just rows and rows of servers – servers are a very specific type of computer. These servers use energy, most of which is still produced through burning fossil fuels.
If everyone on the planet took every piece of computing equipment that exists – phones, computers, tablets, etc and combined this all together, the amount of energy it would need to run, is the same amount that’s currently needed in the aviation industry. So essentially, the same amount of energy needed to fly all the planes in the all world is needed.
The concepts in the show also link to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 9 (Industries, Innovation & Infrastructure) and 13 (Climate Action)
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