@LRRRonEarth @Moosader Interesting claim!
I'm skeptical, though; I'd guess driving to blockbuster is way worse than (data center carbon/sec) ÷ (views per second)
But that's a wild guess. Have you seen a rigorous analysis of this?
I suspect the old model where they mail you DVDs might have been the best of all :) I miss those days.
@ech @Moosader THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I AM A SHITPOSTER AND AN IDIOT AND NOT AN ENGINEER OR TECH PERSON, SO I WOULD TAKE MY CLAIMS ABOUT CARBON INTENSITY WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I LOCATED THE FOLLOWING, NON-COMPREHENSIVE POST SUGGESTING THAT THE COST OF STORING 1GB ON THE CLOUD IS BETWEEN 3KWH AND 7KWH (OVER WHAT PERIOD, IT IS NOT CLEAR). THE ENERGY COSTS OF RETRANSMITTING STORED VIDEO ARE SIMILARLY NOT EXAMINED https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-data-storage (DATED 2017)
https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-data-storage [DATED 2022]
https://www.google.com/amp/s/techxplore.com/news/2023-01-big-hidden-carbon-footprint-science.amp [2023]
IT MAY NOT BE A PARTICULARLY PRONOUNCED EFFECT NOW, BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE TYPICAL ENERGY COST OF CLOUD STORAGE IS TODAY FOR HULU OR NETFLIX.
I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE MY VOTE TO THE MACHINE THAT CAN'T DRAW HANDS.