The revolution in consumer electronics devices that make it easier to watch “what you want, when you want it,” is nothing short of astounding. The digital video recorder (DVR) in particular creates an environment in which “live” TV, even for sporting events, has become obsolete. But the environmental cost of this user-friendly viewing model is staggering. In order for consumers to enjoy the “what they want, when they want it” experience, their DVR needs to “watch” TV 24/7. Many of these DVRs will simultaneously record multiple programs and many families have multiple DVRs. All of these DVRs are powered up, with lights on and disk drives spinning, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This despite the fact that most of what DVRs “watch” never gets recorded, and a lot of what gets recorded never gets watched by humans. This is a gargantuan energy drain, all so that viewers don’t have to subject themselves to the tyranny of linear video channel lineups. Sacre bleu!
Is there a better, more environmentally friendly way to watch “what I want, when I want it?” Yes, streaming internet video increasingly offers the same on demand viewing experience and imposes a significantly lower carbon footprint on the planet. How much lower? Meaningful research in this area is lacking but it stands to reason that the savings—in cost and carbon emissions—should be substantial since the device that allows facilitates this (typically a digital media adaptor) is only “on” when I actually want to watch something.
