I'll be honest—I never paid much attention to CO2 reduction or environmental impacts in tech. The topic felt abstract, overly complex, and easy to dismiss. Sure, I knew flying wasn't great and that trains were better than cars, but I never translated those ideas into my professional life, especially regarding our AI usage.
Then I stumbled across Mistral AI’s recent report, and it was genuinely eye-opening. The study showed that generating just 400 tokens with AI emits around 1.14 grams of CO2 and consumes 45 ml of water. Suddenly, these abstract numbers became shockingly tangible.
Last month, our small eCommerce agency generated nearly 4 billion tokens, equating to approximately 11.34 metric tons of CO2—about the same as driving a car 70,000 kilometers—and nearly half a million liters of water, enough to fill nearly 3,000 bathtubs. Isn't that shocking? Especially when you think that we're only 15 people in the company and have just started to work with AI.
Exploring Real Solutions
AI is a cornerstone of our business, so stopping its use isn't an option. While we haven't fully solved how to offset our CO2 impact yet, we're actively exploring realistic solutions.
Considering Our Own Reforestation Initiative
Buying CO2 certificates feels like paying indulgences—almost medieval in concept. Instead, we're investigating more direct and meaningful actions, like purchasing 5 to 10 hectares of land for reforestation. We could engage our partners and clients in the process, creating shared responsibility and possibly even benefiting from EU environmental funding programs. Early research indicates this approach isn't prohibitively expensive, making it a promising path we're currently pursuing.
AI to Improve AI Efficiency
Additionally, we're exploring ways to leverage AI itself to optimize our usage, reducing unnecessary token consumption and making our workflows inherently more sustainable.
Why This Matters to Me
Will a small agency like ours alone change the global climate trajectory? No. But personally, this newfound clarity and accountability matter. It shifted my perspective from passive indifference to active responsibility. It’s about embedding sustainability into the way we innovate and grow.
In short, AI isn't magic—it has a real, measurable impact. Now that I clearly see this impact, it's impossible to ignore.