F.A.Q.

Your smartphone, laptop, router, monitor, smartwatch, tablet (basically all your smart devices and computers) use electricity on a daily basis. And the electricity needed to charge them generates carbon emissions. Powering the data-centers, relay points, your ISP routers, and network is more harmful to the environment than you think.

In other words, the infrastructure that allows us to access the internet uses electricity which is damaging to the environment. Every megabyte of data that is related to you can be assigned a single value in carbon emissions and adds up to your overall carbon footprint.

Scientists all over the world are constantly researching this issue and so far the data is not conclusive. The quantity of internet usage-related carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere depends on electricity consumption and the way it’s produced. If the electricity is predominantly generated by nuclear power plants, like it is in France for example, the carbon footprint of 1 GB of data would be considerably lower if we compare it to places where electricity is produced almost exclusively in coal-fired power plants.

There are many factors that affect the quantity of carbon emissions released in each country. Since our audience comes from all over the world, the numbers might vary significantly. This is why our team uses a rough estimate per person. For the purposes of this project, we assume that the average internet user generates 90.39 pounds (41kg) of carbon emissions per year which is the most widespread number according to recent research.

Reducing atmospheric carbon is not possible by planting trees – offsetting is. However, keep in mind that this is a long process and it requires persistence and dedication.

Photosynthesis is a process used by plants which basically creates fuel for their growth. In other words, plants use carbon from the atmosphere as building blocks on which they feed in order to grow. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and sunlight and as a result of a complicated chemical reaction – they release oxygen. This is how trees sequester carbon dioxide throughout their life cycles and at the same time – this is how plants help maintain the oxygen levels of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Now, your carbon footprint would not be reduced by planting trees. It is calculated based on each person’s activities (e.g. driving a car, using central heating, browsing the internet, etc.) and planting trees does not work as a strategy to reduce your carbon footprint. However, planting trees will definitely offset your carbon footprint and reduce its damaging effects on the atmosphere, and in the best case scenario – it will help fight climate change.

When it comes to the exact amount of carbon dioxide that a tree can absorb during the course of a year, there are many factors to consider – like the type of trees, the climate (average temperatures, humidity), and the pollution in the area where they are being planted. Did you know that the more polluted the air is – the faster the trees grow because they have more carbon dioxide at their disposal? This is one of the reasons why the sources that provide such information use different numbers for their statistics. It’s like in real estate – location, location, location.

One conservative research states that the average tree can absorb around 22 pounds (10kg) of carbon dioxide per year for the first 20 years of its life. Some sources go as far as saying that six mature trees can sequester up to a ton of carbon dioxide per year (or 167 pounds per tree/76 kg)which makes pollution reduction seem more easily achievable in recent years. However, the most widely supported theory suggests that a mature tree can absorb up to 48 pounds (22 kg) of carbon dioxide per year and this is the quantity our team is using for our efforts.

It is through the monetization of our product that we are able to donate on behalf of our users. Controlling your browser search setting is a prerequisite for donating on your behalf.

You might have changed your default browser search to something different than the link set by our app. If that is the case our app will turn itself off automatically. If that is not the case – please feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to help!

A single tree can offset around 48 pounds (22 kg) of carbon – this is the most widely supported conclusion of different researchers. So, dividing a user’s yearly carbon footprint by 48 will give you a rough estimate of how many trees you need to plant.