Paul Reynolds’ passion for sustainability began long before he turned his focus to carbon finance. While studying abroad in Australia, he first encountered desalination plants–industrial facilities that remove salt from seawater–and was struck by the toxic waste they produced. That moment, he says, “planted the initial seed” for his commitment to sustainability. Over the years, his interest in environmental issues grew, leading him to explore carbon finance as a tool for driving sustainable change.

As a serial entrepreneur, Reynolds began noticing a crucial gap in climate conversations–the issue of digital pollution. This refers to the environmental impact of digital technologies like data centres, hosting companies, and even websites. Data centres and transmission networks already account for one per cent of energy-related emissions–a figure expected to double by 2026. While this may seem small, these carbon emissions rival those of the domestic commercial airline industry, which produces around 131 million metric tonnes of CO₂ annually from jet fuel. 

An increasing number of Canadian businesses have embraced sustainability–reducing packaging, investing in renewable energy, or exploring carbon capture. But as they adopt emerging technologies, concerns about their digital impact have also grown. To address this, Reynolds co-founded The Offset Foundation with Alex Martin in 2022. The foundation helps businesses measure and reduce their digital carbon footprints by connecting them with trusted sustainability initiatives and promoting cleaner digital practices. With rising climate awareness and more transparent methodologies from independent ratings agencies, more companies are taking action. “We’re seeing more first-time clients than ever,” says Reynolds, chief operating officer. “Carbon offsetting has evolved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a core part of corporate social responsibility.”

Some businesses are already acting. Major Tom, a Vancouver-based marketing agency, recently partnered with the Offset Foundation to reduce the emissions from their website. “The data centres, servers, and traffic behind our work all contribute to carbon emissions, so making our website carbon neutral was a practical next step,” says Victoria Samways, the agency’s marketing and branding manager. Using Offset’s on-site calculator, they measured and offset 100 per cent of their site’s emissions.

As environmental concern grows, reducing digital pollution offers companies a tangible way to demonstrate climate action and commitment. Reynolds believes businesses can strengthen their sustainability story by addressing this impact transparently and proactively. To support this shift, he and Chief Technology Officer Alex Martin share five practical strategies for lowering digital pollution.

Choose a greener web host

Start by checking whether a hosting company qualifies as green. Green hosting means a website is powered by data centres using renewable energy–or at least offsetting their emissions to reach net zero. In Quebec, for example, many hosts use clean hydroelectric power from Hydro-Quebec. But other less visible factors also matter, such as the amount of water and refrigerants their data centres use, their e-waste management practices, and whether forests were cleared to build their infrastructure.      

To verify if a website runs on green energy, Martin suggests asking providers directly and using tools like the Green Web Check, which shows if a site is hosted on renewables. Reynolds adds that businesses should choose hosts that actively track and report their environmental impact. For example, Shopify measures its emissions, invests in eco-tech start-ups, and offers an app for carbon-neutral shipping. It also releases an annual sustainability report. Beyond enhancing reputation, Reynolds notes that energy-efficient practices can lower electricity costs, which could lead to savings passed on to customers. 

Cut energy waste by managing multimedia content smarter

Large background media and autoplay videos can significantly increase a company’s digital pollution. Reynolds says that heavy multimedia content raises energy use by requiring more data to be transferred from servers to users’ browsers. To minimize this impact, any website with more than 10MB of combined assets—unless it’s a multimedia-focused business—can reduce that size through compression, which cuts file sizes without losing quality, or progressive loading, which prioritizes essential content for faster access. 

He notes that some videos are buried on rarely visited pages yet still load automatically whenever those pages are opened–even if no one watches them. “At scale, that becomes a problem,” he says, “because our calculations show that most emissions come from pages users aren’t actually engaging with.”     

Reynolds also recommends that IT teams instruct employees to regularly clear website caches, as they can increase storage demands on servers. This simple step improves website performance by reducing browser load. It also lowers data transfer, which helps reduce energy consumption.                       

Run your AI on clean energy

More businesses are adopting AI to stay competitive–but it comes with an environmental cost. Processing and generating responses requires massive computing power and substantial energy. Even a simple query on a text-based AI service has a notable footprint. For example, the MIT Technology Review found that Meta’s AI model Llama uses 6,706 joules per response–the equivalent of running the microwave for eight seconds–compared to 1,080 joules for a regular Google search. 

Martin says businesses should prioritize AI tools from companies committed to sustainability. For example, using data centres in Quebec—where electricity is almost entirely renewable—can significantly cut emissions. This contrasts with regions like Texas, where companies like x.ai train models on servers largely powered by natural gas. He adds that locating and partnering with a Quebec data centre is a viable option, though businesses must comply with provincial legislation regulating the collection, storage, management, and sharing of personal data. 

Reduce email overload

The environmental impact of email can add up quickly. Servers run around the clock to process, store, and transmit messages. These servers, housed in large data centres, require energy-intensive cooling systems to prevent overheating.

Research from Lancaster University estimates that a spam email caught by filters emits about 0.05 grams of CO₂, while a long email sent to 100 people generates around 29 grams. Reynolds notes that while a single email is a “grain of sand” compared to energy-intensive video content, every message adds to server load. Reducing emails to inactive addresses can help lower unnecessary energy use.

He advises businesses to send fewer emails, especially to unresponsive recipients who rarely open them, as continuing to email these contacts wastes energy with little return. Instead, he suggests using more eco-friendly communication methods like texts or WhatsApp messages. He also points out that Slack messages, hosted on the relatively green hosting company AWS, are more energy-efficient than an email.     

Manage outdated devices with care

Lowering digital pollution also depends on managing technology, as every device has an environmental footprint from production to disposal. Martin recommends finding e-waste recycling facilities that accept hardware like cellphones, tablets, PCs, batteries, and large cooling systems. Retailers like Best Buy are required to accept e-waste for free, which can help smaller companies reduce costs.

Martin emphasizes prioritizing devices made from recycled materials that are easy to repair and recycle. Durable equipment reduces frequent replacements, cutting resource use and waste. Investing in sustainable technology and responsible disposal helps companies minimize their environmental footprint from the start.

Related: How to Make Your Office More Sustainable

Make small shifts for big impact

Building sustainable workplace habits doesn’t have to be challenging, says Reynolds. At Major Tom, Samways has seen these efforts pay off in multiple ways. “For us, the value is twofold,” Samways says. “These projects directly neutralize the emissions our site generates and provide transparency we can confidently share with clients.” She adds that she plans to update her company’s policies and inform clients about Offset’s work, stressing that even small steps like this can make a big impact.