How do you make your email design carbon efficient?

Creating a carbon-efficient email design is not just about aesthetics; it's about contributing to a more sustainable future. By optimizing images, adopting a minimalistic and responsive design, reducing HTML and CSS code, testing rigorously, using CDNs, limiting embedded media, writing clean code, and practicing regular maintenance, you can significantly reduce the energy consumption associated with your emails. Moreover, if you have control over your hosting, consider opting for an energy-efficient provider. These efforts collectively contribute to a greener, more sustainable approach to email marketing, benefiting both your brand and the planet.

To make email design carbon efficient: 1. Minimize Attachments: Use links instead of large attachments to reduce data transfer. 2. Optimize Images: Compress images and use efficient formats (e.g., JPEG, PNG). 3. Simplify Design: Avoid heavy graphics and complex HTML that increase email size. 4. Use Plain Text: When possible, use plain text emails to significantly cut down data usage. 5. Limit Recipients: Send emails only to necessary recipients to reduce overall data load. 6. Efficient Servers: Choose email providers with energy-efficient data centers powered by renewable energy. These steps help reduce the carbon footprint associated with email communication.

I highly doubt these numbers. There's a cost independent of size, and I would estimate that this is the majority of total cost. 300g of CO2 are equivalent to almost a kWh of energy. This runs a typical server for hours. So I would like to see some sources for these claims.

Consider not using attachments, instead create links to either One Drive or Share Points, alternatively try WE Transfer for large files that you do need to share.

Work with your IT team to create a file share protocol, with quick links to help your team out. Written down documents ensure repeatability.

Avoid using images in your signature. In case of doubt, they will not be displayed correctly, or increase the chance that your message will be classified as spam. And, as Andreas already wrote, use a link to a file rather than sending the file.

To optimize HTML and CSS for carbon efficiency in email design, focus on minimizing file size and code complexity. Use inline CSS to reduce HTTP requests, and compress images to decrease load times. Prioritize efficient coding practices like minimizing whitespace and removing unnecessary elements. Additionally, consider utilizing CSS frameworks tailored for email design to streamline development and reduce environmental impact. By implementing these strategies, one can create visually stunning emails while minimizing carbon footprint.

Avoid signatures in general - when you reply or forward an email. They only inflate the message and distract from the content. Think carefully about what you want to say. Too little can sometimes lead to more questions (and emails); too much distracts from the main point. Shorten (curate) the history. Apart from the fact that email shouldn't be a discussion forum anyway, long replies and forwards don't make things any clearer. Think about who really needs to get your message. A receipient's list that is too large will ultimately only lead to nobody replying at all.

Sometimes it makes more sense to use a chat tool or (better) seek a personal conversation instead of an email. Thanks to video calls, messages can also be toned down if the other person can see your face (and hands). In an absolute necessity, even use the unloved telephone; after all, it conveys your voice and can make messages more sensitive than written text - despite all the emojis.

We all feel the need to say thank you to an email, instead of doing this you can use your email footer to thank the sender, saving time and carbon.