As the planet experiences the severe side effects of climate change, a new report claims that streaming 30 minutes of Netflix has approximately the same carbon footprint as driving for nearly four miles.However, according to noted climate scientist Doctor Jacquelyn Gill, the figures may be widely inaccurate. Gill, an ecologist and associate professor with the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute, refuted the findings and speculated that the article -- published by Big Think -- was meant to get its readers to lose interest in combatting climate change.
In response to replies on Twitter, Gill observed that the report appeared to be off by at least one order of magnitude -- or a measurable factor of ten. In layman's terms, this indicates Big Think's report significantly overestimates the amount of power consumed by servers to stream a single video.
With much of the Australian continent burning and other observable effects of climate change visible around the world, there are plenty of conscious ways for individuals to reduce one's carbon footprint and increase their environmental responsibility. However, binge-watching episodes of One-Punch Man and The Great British Baking Show are not singlehandedly responsible for the environmental damage.