As data centers grow larger and more energy-intensive, public awareness—and concern—is rising. At Compass Datacenters, we believe Earth Day 2025 is the perfect time to talk about a hidden contributor to our environmental footprint: digital waste.
We asked ourselves: Are we building virtual landfills? Between January and February 2025, we surveyed over 1,000 Americans to understand their digital habits. The results were eye-opening:
- Nearly 60% use cloud storage, but only 23% realize it lives in a physical, power-hungry location—like a data center.
- One-third feel overwhelmed by digital clutter, and 60% would rather wash dishes than clean out files.
- 49% of Gen Z and Millennials pay monthly for storage, with some spending up to $60 a month—totaling $40,000 over a lifetime.
It’s not just a consumer issue. Fewer than 20% of large businesses have clear data retention policies. That lack of discipline drives up costs and risks—both financially and environmentally.
This Earth Day 2025, we’re encouraging everyone to take action. Delete unused apps. Unsubscribe from emails. Organize your files. These small acts of digital decluttering can have a big impact on sustainability.
At Compass, we’re committed to zero waste—not just in how we build data centers, but in how we think about data itself. Visit our resource hub, Delete Digital Dust Bunnies, for more tips on how to create a more efficient and eco-friendly digital life.
Let’s clean up our digital lives this Earth Day—and build a smarter, more sustainable future.
Want to learn more? Check out the full article here.
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