By: AK Infinite

Chris Marine, founder of Campfire Consulting (a cross-channel media consultancy and agency), believes digital waste is a misunderstood contributor to the planet’s carbon footprint. “People don’t think about digital waste in the same sense as physical waste. Generally, especially in marketing, digital waste isn’t a primary concern. That’s a problem for our planet because the two couldn’t be more directly correlated–not to mention that efficient, conscientious digital activity leads to more effective, impactful marketing.”

So, What is Digital Waste?

Digital waste refers to the inefficiencies and excesses in digital marketing and technology, where resources like data, energy, and time are squandered. It can take many forms—irrelevant ads delivered to the wrong audience, redundant digital tools that drain more energy than necessary, or poorly optimized campaigns that waste budget without results.

In practice, this might manifest as repeatedly showing the same ad to users who aren’t interested or running campaigns doomed from the start due to outdated targeting or messaging. Beyond hurting campaign performance, these missteps carry an environmental cost many businesses fail to consider.

How Does Bad Media Delivery Create Digital Waste?

Inefficient media drives unnecessary energy consumption by over-delivering untargeted or irrelevant content. Every unnecessary ad impression, every chunk of unused stored data, and every overworked server contributes to a growing energy problem. Broad, poorly defined targeting often results in irrelevant audiences seeing ads—wasting ad spend and energy.

Ad-serving algorithms don’t help when they keep pushing ads to users who aren’t engaging. The more irrelevant ads are served, the more server demand rises, inflating the digital ecosystem’s carbon footprint.

On top of that, poorly handled data is another major offender. Companies often store vast amounts of user data they never analyze or use effectively. This leads to bloated data centers consuming energy without adding any real business value. Digital marketing, done inefficiently, becomes a silent contributor to environmental degradation, as data centers, networks, and ad servers guzzle energy nonstop. As another industry professional put it, “Data centers are the factories of the 21st century, you just can’t see the smoke.”

Why Is Digital Waste a Problem?

The environmental impact of digital waste is substantial. The internet’s carbon footprint rivals the airline industry’s, and inefficient media only worsens it. Mismanaged ad delivery, bloated data storage, and heavy server usage lead to skyrocketing energy consumption, higher carbon emissions, and increased pressure on global energy resources.

On average, one programmatic ad impression = 1g CO2e. If 1,000,000 impressions run that equals on average one metric ton CO2e. Therefore, the carbon footprint of one million digital ad impressions is roughly equivalent to:

• A single passenger’s round-trip flight from Boston to London
• The carbon in 200,000 plastic grocery bags
• The carbon in 2.3 million plastic straws

There’s also a direct business cost. Digital waste impacts overall marketing budgets, drags down campaign efficiency, and dilutes ROI. Companies that waste resources lose credibility, especially as consumers become more environmentally conscious and expect brands to prioritize sustainability.

How Campfire Consulting Tackles Digital Waste

At Campfire Consulting, a lot goes into prioritizing precision and efficiency. Efficient media and sustainability are principles that work in lockstep: when a campaign is effective, it creates less digital waste. Campfire’s media strategies are designed to reduce waste by closely curating publishers and network lists where ads are delivered on, paying close watch to frequency capping strategies across the digital and social eco-system while delivering better outcomes. By leveraging precise targeting, data-driven decision-making, and optimized media spending, Campfire helps clients avoid blanket approaches that lead to over-delivery and wasted energy.

At Campfire, sustainability isn’t an afterthought—it’s built into the work and how they help their clients build sustainable growth for their business and the planet. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Chris Marine, founder of Campfire Consulting, and may not reflect those of other industry professionals or organizations. This content is intended for informational purposes and should not be considered as specific marketing or environmental advice. Results may vary depending on individual business practices. For personalized guidance, readers are encouraged to consult with industry experts or sustainability professionals.

Published by Elle G.