What Is the Carbon Footprint of Your Netflix Streaming Habit?
Explore how your digital entertainment habits—especially streaming on Netflix—impact your carbon footprint and what can be done to make streaming more sustainable.
Streaming movies and TV series has become a daily routine for hundreds of millions worldwide. While this digital activity often feels intangible and consequence-free, it has a real and measurable impact on the climate. This article explores the carbon footprint associated with streaming, with a special focus on Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service. We’ll break down where these emissions come from, compare estimates, look at Netflix’s sustainability efforts, and discuss what individuals and the industry can do to curb this growing source of greenhouse gases.
Why Streaming Digitally Still Has a Real-World Environmental Impact
Every time you stream a show or movie, data is sent across long digital highways: from data centers storing content, through complex networks, to your home internet, and finally displayed on your device. All these touchpoints *consume electricity*, much of which is still generated from fossil fuels around the world. As a result, every hour of online video streaming leaves a small but cumulative carbon footprint—a footprint that is amplified by the scale of global digital consumption.
- Netflix alone has over 300 million memberships worldwide as of late 2024, accounting for tens of billions of streaming hours annually.
- Other major platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and regional giants such as India’s JioHotstar, contribute further to the massive energy demand from global digital streaming.
- While there’s debate about the exact numbers, experts and multiple studies agree that the overall environmental impact of digital streaming is significant and growing.
The Carbon Footprint of Streaming: How Is It Measured?
The central question—what’s the carbon cost of streaming a movie?—is surprisingly complex. The answer depends on which parts of the “digital supply chain” are counted, the efficiency of equipment used, the local electricity mix, and the quality and length of the content streamed.
- Emissions are generally divided into three main sources:
- Content production (Netflix’s filming and editing, accounting for a major share of company emissions, but not directly from streaming)
- Transmission & infrastructure (data centers, content delivery networks, and internet service providers)
- End-user devices (the TVs, tablets, laptops, or phones on which users watch content)
- Accounting challenge: Not all emissions are officially counted in Netflix’s own reporting; many occur outside their direct control (especially device and local internet energy use).
Key Terms Explained
- Scope 1 emissions: Direct emissions from facilities owned or controlled by the company (e.g., offices, company vehicles)
- Scope 2 emissions: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam used by the company (e.g., film studio power)
- Scope 3 emissions: All other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (e.g., data centers Netflix doesn’t own, users’ devices, suppliers’ operations)
How Big Is the Carbon Footprint of Watching Netflix?
Estimates for the carbon emissions associated with streaming video vary widely due to the factors outlined above. Still, Netflix’s own most recent estimate provides a useful benchmark:
What others are reading
- One hour of streaming on Netflix is responsible for about 55 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e)—about the same as boiling a kettle three times or microwaving four bags of popcorn.
Other studies have given estimates ranging from 36 to as much as 440 grams of CO₂ per hour, depending on the devices in use, streaming quality (HD, 4K), and where the electricity powering the transmission comes from.
| Source | Estimate per Hour | Comment/Context |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix (2023) | 55g CO₂e | Netflix’s own recent ESG reporting, global average |
| European studies (average) | 100–175g CO₂e | Varies by region, device, and streaming quality |
| Max ranges (older/less efficient networks) | Up to 440g CO₂e | Devices with high power use, regions with fossil-fuel grids |
While the per-hour impact may seem trivial, the aggregate effect is huge: Netflix users streamed over 94 billion hours of content in 2023 alone, resulting in millions of metric tons of CO₂e emissions annually.
Where Does Streaming’s Carbon Footprint Come From?
Breaking down the emissions generated by streaming exposes some surprising facts. The largest portion actually comes from the screens and home devices people use, not Netflix’s own servers or headquarters.
- End-user devices (TVs, computers, tablets, phones): 89% of streaming emissions are attributed to end-user devices, including 48% from subscriber premises, 5% from TV peripherals, and 46% from the screens themselves.
- Internet service providers: About 10% of emissions come from the networks carrying data from Netflix to viewers’ homes.
- Data centers: Only 1% of emissions arise from the data centers and platforms used to store and stream Netflix’s video files.
It’s important to note that emissions from end-user devices are counted as Scope 3 indirect emissions in ESG reporting, so Netflix and other companies are not yet directly responsible for them. However, these emissions are crucial for understanding the full environmental impact of digital streaming.
Device Power Matters
- Streaming for an hour on a large smart TV uses much more electricity (up to 120W per hour, or more) than doing so on a smartphone (as little as 2–6W per hour).
- 4K video streams also require more data transmission and screen power than lower-resolution streams, further increasing energy consumption and emissions.
How Netflix Calculates and Reduces Its Carbon Footprint
Netflix tracks its annual greenhouse gas emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and has their calculations independently verified. Their 2023 report estimated a total company footprint of about 897,000 metric tons CO₂e (using a location-based approach that depends on the local carbon intensity of electricity sources).
- Scope 3 emissions (mostly from content production and supply chain): 94% of Netflix’s total carbon footprint.
- Corporate and production operations: Includes office energy, employee travel, and the energy used to make original shows and movies.
- Streaming itself: A relatively small proportion of Netflix’s reported emissions, due to the efficiency of cloud infrastructure and carbon-matched electricity used by partners.
Netflix’s Environmental Commitments
- Halve GHG emissions by 2030 as part of global net-zero goals.
- Match remaining emissions since 2022 by supporting verified climate solutions.
- Invest in projects that limit or destroy powerful greenhouse gases such as methane.
- Replace diesel generators and gas vehicles on set with low-carbon and electric alternatives.
- Upgrade offices and studio campuses with energy-efficient lighting, geothermal heating/cooling, and renewable power.
Some of Netflix’s recent production efforts—in programs like Bridgerton and The Piano Lesson—tested clean technologies that avoided hundreds of tons of CO₂e by using electric and hydrogen generators instead of diesel ones. Such measures show progress but also highlight how large the overall challenge remains.
Industry Collaboration: DIMPACT and Beyond
Recognizing that much of streaming’s carbon footprint comes from the wider internet and users’ devices—which are outside any single company’s control—Netflix and other major media players have joined DIMPACT, a coalition focused on:
- Science-based measurement of streaming and digital media emissions.
- Creating actionable tools and policy recommendations for the broader industry.
- Supporting smart policies and encouraging best practices (such as more efficient data centers and sustainable device manufacturing).
Netflix also partners with cloud providers (like AWS) and works to ensure much of its cloud computing is powered by renewable energy (claimed at 99% for relevant operations).
How Does Streaming Compare to Other Everyday Activities?
The footprint of an hour’s worth of Netflix—about 55g CO₂e—may seem small in isolation. But understanding it in context is important:
- Boiling a kettle (3x): ≈ 55g CO₂e
- Microwaving a bag of popcorn (4x): ≈ 55g CO₂e
- Driving a small car 1 km: ≈ 100–150g CO₂e
- Running a desktop computer for 1 hour: ≈ 40–160g CO₂e (varies widely)
The emissions may not be enormous for one user and one show, but multiply this by millions of hours and billions of users, and the scale becomes apparent.
What Can Individuals Do to Shrink Their Streaming Footprint?
While the industry and governments play the biggest roles in reducing digital emissions, individual viewers also have some influence. Here are practical steps to help make your streaming habit greener:
- Watch on smaller devices when possible. Streaming on a tablet or phone uses far less power than a large TV.
- Lower video quality when high definition isn’t needed. 4K streams require much more data and energy to transmit and play than standard definition.
- Avoid leaving streams running in the background. If you’re not actively watching, pause or exit videos to limit unnecessary data transfer.
- Upgrade to more energy-efficient TVs or monitors when replacing devices. Look for the latest efficiency labels.
- Support platforms and ISPs that use sustainable energy and commit to carbon reduction goals.
What Is Needed Systemically for Lower-Carbon Streaming?
Ultimately, reducing the carbon impact of digital entertainment will depend on more than just individual action. Systemic changes can have a far greater impact, including:
- Decarbonizing electricity grids—shifting global power generation to renewables so that streaming and all digital activities depend less on fossil fuels.
- Making devices more energy-efficient—improving the design and manufacturing standards for TVs, computers, and mobile devices.
- Building greener data infrastructure—upping energy efficiency and renewable power use for data centers, internet exchanges, and content delivery networks.
- Transparent measurement and reporting—developing standards for all companies with digital operations to track, report, and take responsibility for their full climate impact.
Netflix’s commitment to collaboration through alliances like DIMPACT, its investments in production and corporate sustainability, and its push to support industry-wide tools for measuring and managing digital emissions are all positive steps in this direction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How much carbon dioxide is emitted by an hour of Netflix streaming?
A: The average is about 55 grams of CO₂e per streaming hour, though actual emissions vary depending on the device and local electricity source.
Q: Why does most of the carbon footprint come from my device?
A: End-user devices like TVs and computers consume much more power per hour of viewing compared to data centers and internet providers. Device efficiency and screen size make a big difference.
Q: Is streaming worse for the environment than watching live TV?
A: Traditional live TV distribution has its own emissions, but streaming’s emissions are more variable and can be higher on large screens or at high resolutions. Both benefit from energy-efficient devices and renewable energy sources.
Q: What is Netflix doing to address its carbon footprint?
A: Netflix aims to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, invests in clean energy and carbon offset projects, uses renewable-powered cloud infrastructure, and works collectively to improve sustainability standards for digital streaming.
Q: How can I reduce my own streaming-related emissions?
A: Stream on smaller or more efficient devices, avoid unnecessary 4K viewing, turn off streams when not watching, upgrade to efficient screens, and support services with sustainability commitments.
References
- https://greenly.earth/en-us/leaf-media/data-stories/the-carbon-cost-of-streaming
- https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/is-netflix-succeeding-in-making-streaming-greener
- https://en.reset.org/green-streaming-we-need-to-talk-about-netflix-prime-and-co/
- https://mediaenviron.org/article/17242.pdf
- https://greenecofriend.co.uk/digital-footprint/
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