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Ajay Nair
Independent Researcher
Kerala, India
Abstract
Online education has witnessed explosive growth over the past decade, driven by advances in digital technologies, greater broadband penetration, and pedagogical innovations. This rapid shift—accentuated by the COVID‑19 pandemic—has prompted educators, policymakers, and researchers to examine not only its instructional efficacy and accessibility but also its environmental sustainability. Traditional classroom‑based learning entails significant energy consumption on campus facilities (lighting, heating, cooling), extensive use of physical materials, and daily commuting by students and staff, all contributing to institutional carbon footprints. Conversely, fully online modalities eliminate or reduce many of these factors, but introduce new sources of emissions: data‑center operations, continuous network transmission, and increased use of personal electronic devices. This study presents a comparative carbon‑footprint analysis of online versus in‑person education by combining primary survey data from 200 participants with secondary emission factors drawn from established protocols. We first quantify the average weekly CO₂ emissions avoided through reduced commuting and campus energy use when courses move online. Next, we calculate the additional emissions generated by home‑based learning activities—incremental electricity for lighting and HVAC, plus device‑powered instructional time—and by the back‑end digital infrastructure supporting learning management systems, video‑conferencing, and content streaming. Using paired statistical analyses, we reveal that, under current energy mixes and user behaviors, net per‑user emissions may paradoxically rise in fully online scenarios. We further explore user awareness of digital carbon impacts and assess willingness to adopt mitigation measures. Finally, we propose a multi‑pronged strategy for institutions and learners—ranging from renewable‑powered data centers and server optimization to energy‑conscious user practices—to harness the true environmental benefits of digital education. Our findings underscore the complexity of assessing “green” credentials in education technology and call for integrated policy frameworks that align pedagogical digitalization with rigorous sustainability goals.
Keywords
Online Education, Carbon Footprint, Comparative Study, Digital Learning Emissions, Sustainability
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