Smartphone use causes 60 kg of CO2 emissions per person per year: how can you reduce your environmental footprint? | MyGuide

The fact that sustainability is an important topic for Belgian telecom operators was demonstrated at the end of last year by the results of a study conducted by the telecoms regulator BIPT. This showed that in the period 2018-2021, operators’ energy consumption decreased by 11 percent. In addition, they cut carbon dioxide emissions by 38 percent.

By purchasing emission rights, every operator in the Belgian telecom market is in principle already CO2-neutral. However, many players are taking additional steps, for example in the field of reusing and recycling set-top boxes and modems.

The study shows that Proximus is the largest consumer of energy, although the operator managed to reduce its energy consumption by 15 percent between 2018 and 2021, to 736 gigawatt hours (GWh). Telenet comes in second with consumption of 218 GWh, followed by Orange with consumption of 123 GWh. Operators get 80 percent of their energy from renewable sources, but produce only 2 percent of their energy consumption themselves. This places them around the European average.

Proximus is also a leader in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. The company has managed to reduce its emissions to 27 kilotons since 2018. Telenet and Orange have also succeeded in reducing their emissions. It should be noted that you have to put the numbers straight, since Proximus has most of its activities in our country, mainly in the business sector.

Many consumers today attach importance to sustainability; Think awareness about mobility or clothing. Connections often hang at the bottom of the list, mainly because clients are not aware of sustainable initiatives or alternatives in the market.

However, operators do provide some options to reduce your environmental footprint. In the MyProximus app, for example, Proximus offers MyFootprint: a tool that allows you to calculate your environmental footprint and gain insights into how you can reduce it. Through the Re programme, Orange helps customers consider the sustainability of their smartphones, for example when purchasing their next device. Proximus is also actively committed to recycling smartphones and other devices.

For consumers who want to go further in sustainable communications, there are also so-called eco-operators. A case in point is UNDO, a Belgian virtual mobile provider that hit the market last month. According to the new operator, every year each consumer emits an average of 60 kilograms of carbon dioxide using their smartphone every day. Therefore, one of the goals of this provider is to reduce the human impact on the climate and carbon dioxide emissions.

UNDO is trying to achieve this by planting a tree in the Congo for each new subscriber, thus contributing to the reforestation of the planet. Customers also have the option to add additional extras to their subscription, such as financial support for school renovation projects or medical assistance.

Just like Proximus, UNDO is also helping its clients via an app that teaches them to be more aware with their mobile phone use, including a calculator. This not only provides insight into your data usage, but also the associated CO2 emissions.

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