(Yes, I’m aware this is a post on the internet)

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Websites are full of shit

Look at this, just load a random article about the cloud, blockchain or A.I. Next to a story that’s probably not worth reading, a whole lot of other shit is downloaded afterwards. Let’s have a look at the network tab in the Firefox inspector:

Firefox network tab

219 requests and 22 trackers

Much of the requests above are for images directly embedded in the page, so you could call them “useful”, but really, add some lazy loading! We’re not seeing 90% of the images yet, only after scrolling.

Then, after the fine article and first ads are loaded, some other shit kicks in. More trackers, iframes, user syncs or whatever this shit is called.

Shall we just block this?

Two reasons why using an Ad Blocker can save the planet

One: When you are not downloading shit, you save energy

The internet uses a tremendous amount of energy, and counting (sorry, this page has 160 resources and 25 trackers). When you locally block a request with an Ad Blocker, your device, your router, your ISP, the CDN, the host, and all other switches in between can do less shit.

Note: I have no idea if Ad Blocking can be significant in terms of energy saving. Maybe someone has data?

Two: When you stop seeing ads, you will buy less shit

In order to feel happy people have to buy shit. Whenever a consumer wants to buy some shit, advertisers are there to help out. So, save yourself some pennies, and save the planet, don’t let the advertisers try to help you buy shit.

In case you are thinking: “wow Aberforth, I hear you, how can I save the planet?”

Get your favorite Ad Blocker today:

What else could we do to save energy while browsing?

We all know we can use EcoSia, or a battery saving mode on your phone, but nothing feels significant enough. What can we do to make the internet a better place?