Brits could save thousands of tonnes of carbon each year by sending one less 'thank you' email a day

Could British politeness be killing the planet?
Research shows cutting down on unnecessary emails could help save the planet
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Bronwen Weatherby26 November 2019

Axing one 'thank you' email a day would save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year, new research has revealed.

Over 64 million unnecessary emails are sent every single day, most containing one or two-word phrases such as 'thank you' or 'thanks'.

Dropping one such pleasantry would mean saving thousands of tonnes of carbon - the equivalent to 81,152 flights to Madrid or taking 3,334 diesel cars off the road, experts have said.

However, most people are completely unaware that emails have their own carbon footprint and that excessive emailing contributes 23,475 tonnes of carbon a year to the UK's footprint.

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The study, commissioned by OVO Energy and consulted 3,000 British adults, shows the nation could considerably reduce its carbon output if each adult sent one less unactionable email a day.

The independent energy provider is now calling on Brits to go against the grain and 'think before you thank'.

Despite stereotypical British politeness being the cause of many a ‘thank you’ email, the new research also uncovered that 71 per cent of Brits wouldn’t mind not receiving a ‘thank you’ email if they knew it was for the benefit of the environment and helping to combat the climate crisis.

Mike Berners-Lee, researcher and author of How Bad are Bananas and There is no Planet B, said: "While the carbon footprint of an email isn’t huge, it’s a great illustration of the broader principle that cutting the waste out of our lives is good for our wellbeing and good for the environment.

Top 10 most ‘unnecessary’ emails sent

1. Thank you

2. Thanks 

3. Have a good weekend

4. Received

5. Appreciated

6. Have a good evening

7. Did you get/see this?

8. Cheers

9. You too

10. LOL

"This research recognises we're in a climate emergency and this is one way to take action to help.

"No one is saying you should be rude to each other, but sometimes these emails can be meaningless."

Mr Berners-Lee said that fewer emails will not solve the climate crisis but it will reduce carbon.

He added: "Quarter of all carbon is produced by food, how much meat and dairy we consume and how much we waste. Then it's travel, how much we fly and drive.

"It's important we not buy needless junk, or contribute to junk emails."

OVO Energy has created the world’s first carbon-reducing Chrome Extension the 'Carbon Capper' which when downloaded identifies when the user has hit send on a potentially unnecessary email, sending a prompt to ensure more thoughtful email traffic.

The Extension tracks word count, flagging emails under four words, and allows users to keep a close eye on their individual email carbon footprint. It launches on November 26.

Dr Katie Russell, head of data and analytics at OVO Energy, said: "At OVO Energy we believe we can fight the climate crisis together, making everyday changes that cut carbon - whilst making life better.

"We want to show people how every action has a carbon impact, even a simple email. To fight the climate crisis, we need to change our behaviour at every level, and help people make a start with the easy first steps.”

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