Overwhelmed by your inbox? Make it more focused (and reduce its emissions too)
In the morning, after a break, or at the end of a busy day, how often have you felt overwhelmed by the number of emails waiting in your inbox?
It turns out that feeling is justified. There are 4.48 billion email users worldwide (PGM Solutions), exchanging 241 million emails every minute, with most people checking their inboxes at least twice a day (DeBounce).
While the frustration of a crowded inbox is familiar to everyone, few people realise that emails also come with a carbon footprint.
Each email can emit up to 26 g of CO₂e, depending on its size, attachments, and images (Walkley 2022, from Sustainable Marketing by Alexis Eyre and Paul Randle). It may not sound like much, but multiplied by 2025’s global email traffic, it adds up to 4 gigatons of CO₂e per year, roughly equal to 5 billion round-trip flights from Helsinki to Munich (OpenCO₂ Converter).
Even tiny footprints grow enormous when billions of emails are sent, stored, and read every day across servers, data centers, and devices.
👉 To learn more about the source of digital emissions, read "Where digital emissions come from: the physical infrastructure of the Internet"
Are all these emails really necessary?
According to PGM Solutions, email remains the most widely used communication channel globally. 81% of companies include it in their marketing strategy, and one in three marketers rate it the most effective channel for ROI.
Yet, over 60% of newsletters and marketing emails are never opened (Indectron Data Centres) and 28% of unsubscribes occur because messages feel too “spammy” (DeBounce).
In other words, most of these emissions deliver content no one reads or wants. Decluttering inboxes can improve focus and productivity, while reducing unnecessary impact on the planet.
Easy actions to reduce email overload
Spoiler alert, just one easy rule to remember: the most efficient email is the one never sent, stored, or ignored.
Unsubscribe from unread newsletters
Do not just delete unwanted emails, click unsubscribe directly.
Review your subscriptions and remove recurring emails you never open. Tip: tools such as Cleanfox App or Leave Me Alone can help automate the process!
Reduce frequency or refine interests
Many newsletters let you choose how often and what you receive. Opt for weekly or monthly instead of daily updates, and deselect topics you don’t follow.
Report spam and block persistent senders
Reporting spam helps email providers improve their filters, cutting unnecessary transmissions globally.
Empty spam and junk folders regularly
Most email services delete spam automatically after 30 days. If yours doesn’t, schedule an auto-delete or clear folders manually each month.
Delete old and large emails
Search by size or date to remove heavy attachments and outdated threads.
Optimize how you send
Avoid short one-reply messages (like “Thanks!” or “You too!”).
Instead, communicate your intention in your signature. Example line: “In an effort to reduce digital emissions, I limit one-line replies. Thanks for understanding”.
A simple line will save your time, others’ inboxes, and will gently spread awareness.
If you manage campaigns or mailing lists
Use double opt-in to reach only genuinely interested subscribers.
Send fewer, more targeted emails.
Measure success beyond open rates, focus on meaningful engagement.
A small step with a big ripple
Cleaning your inbox helps you stay focused and productive, while also reducing unnecessary digital emissions.
Cutting those emissions might not feel like a major change, but when millions of people make small digital choices, the collective impact becomes significant.
Small actions repeated consistently can power a quieter, cleaner digital world.
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