What if your internet connection could help fight climate change? Is there such a thing as sustainable internet?

In the age of Netflix binges and remote work, we rarely stop to think about the carbon footprint of the internet. Yet the type of internet we use (fiber, cable, DSL, or satellite) makes a surprising difference.

We’ll explore why fiber-optic internet stands out as the greenest, most sustainable internet option. We’ll compare fiber with traditional cable and DSL, and satellite internet, on key sustainability factors:

energy efficiency,
carbon emissions,
materials,
longevity,
environmental impact of installation maintenance.

The Hidden Environmental Cost of Your Internet Connection

Most people think of cars and factories when it comes to pollution, but broadband networks also consume energy and resources. Data doesn’t travel by magic – it flows through physical infrastructure that uses electricity.

Cable internet runs over coaxial copper cables (like TV wires) and needs signal boosters along the way.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) uses old telephone copper lines, with roadside cabinets pumping electricity to send data.

Satellite internet beams data from dishes to satellites in space, which involves rocket launches and power-hungry ground equipment.

In contrast, fiber-optic internet sends data as pulses of light through hair-thin strands of glass. This fundamental difference (light vs. electricity, glass vs. metal) makes fiber far more energy-efficient and eco-friendly.

Fiber’s High Efficiency vs. Cable, DSL, & Satellite

… Why?

Sending signals as light through glass is inherently efficient. There’s very little signal loss, so you don’t need a lot of powered equipment to boost the signal. Copper-based networks (like cable and DSL) lose strength over distance and need amplifiers and signal boosters, which guzzle power.

Studies show that fiber-optic broadband can consume anywhere from 3 to 8 times less electricity than copper or cable networks. In one analysis, at a moderate speed of 50 Mbps, a typical fiber connection used about 56 kWh of electricity per year, whereas a comparable cable (DOCSIS) connection used around 88 kWh per year. That’s a big gap – fiber was roughly 36% more energy-efficient. The higher the speed, the more copper systems struggle; at gigabit speeds, fiber can be up to 8× more efficient than cable.

Not only does fiber’s network use less power, but even the equipment in your home tends to be efficient. A fiber ONT (Optical Network Terminal) or modem typically consumes only a few watts of power (often 5–10 W). In contrast, DSL technology is older and quite inefficient; powering all those neighborhood DSL cabinets and overcoming noise on copper lines makes DSL one of the highest energy users per bit of data. In fact, EuropaCable found that VDSL2 (an advanced form of DSL) and cable HFC networks consume about 1.8–2.2 times more power than modern fiber networks – and as much as 7.5 times more compared to an optimized fiber GPON network.

Energy Profile of Satellite Internet

The satellites in space are solar-powered, but transmitting data to orbit and back is energy-intensive for ground systems. Each user’s satellite dish (terminal) can draw 30–100 W of power continuously to maintain a link – that’s like running a bright light bulb nonstop, per user. Fiber’s wired connection to your home, by comparison, doesn’t require such power-hungry devices on your end (a fiber router typically uses under 10 W). Moreover, satellites rely on energy-hungry ground stations to transfer data to the terrestrial internet, whereas fiber can often go directly with minimal active equipment.

The bottom line: Fiber delivers more data with far less electricity. This efficiency not only saves on power bills but also means lower carbon emissions, which we’ll explore next.

Shrinking the Internet Carbon Footprint With Fiber Internet

Using less energy is great – but what does it mean for carbon emissions? Quite a lot. Most electricity is still generated from fossil fuels, so a more efficient network translates into fewer greenhouse gases. Here, fiber shines as the climate-friendly choice.

Research by the Fiber Broadband Association found operational emissions (from electricity use) of fiber-to-the-home networks were up to 96% lower than for traditional cable (HFC) networks. That is an astounding difference – largely due to fiber’s passive infrastructure needing far less power in the field.

Industry analysts estimate that if all broadband customers in the U.S. switched from cable/DSL to fiber by 2030, the CO2 emissions from internet services would drop by about 34% – a reduction of roughly 1.4 million metric tons of CO2 annually. That’s equivalent to taking 11 million cars off the road in terms of emissions.

Why such a big reduction? Three factors are at play:

Direct energy use is lower – fewer powered devices means less electricity and thus less CO2 from power plants.

Maintenance needs are lower with fiber (fewer outages and repairs), so there are far fewer truck rolls (technician trucks driving around burn fuel).

Fiber’s reliability and performance enable more people to work from home effectively, which indirectly cuts emissions by reducing commuting. High-quality fiber can support remote work and virtual meetings in a way that slow or spotty DSL cannot, meaning more telecommuting and fewer cars on the highway.

On the other hand, consider satellite internet’s carbon footprint. Launching rockets to deploy satellites is incredibly carbon intensive. A single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch (used to loft batches of Starlink satellites) produces about 336,000 kg of CO2 (336 metric tons). That’s akin to the emissions from 395 transatlantic flights or driving a car 1 million miles!

Additionally, the manufacturing of satellites themselves involves energy and emissions (though satellites are solar-powered in orbit, building and testing them isn’t carbon-free).

By contrast, expanding fiber networks does not require any rockets – it’s done by ground crews laying fiber cables, which has a far smaller carbon impact.

Sustainable Internet Materials: Fiber Optics vs. Copper and Satellites

It’s not just about energy; the materials and infrastructure used in networks also determine how green they are.

Fiber-optic cable is primarily made of silica glass (drawn from sand) and some plastics for cladding and jacketing. These materials are abundant and relatively low-impact to source.

Cable and DSL networks rely on copper, a metal that must be mined and refined. Copper mining is resource-intensive and can lead to habitat destruction, soil and water contamination, and significant carbon emissions from the mining process. Copper is also a non-renewable resource – once we extract it, it’s gone – so heavy reliance on copper for communications isn’t ideal for long-term sustainability.

Furthermore, fiber cables tend to be lighter and require less material to carry the same amount of data. A single fiber strand can carry vastly more data than a thick bundle of copper wires. This efficiency in materials shows up in manufacturing impact: Fiber Broadband Association found that producing 1 km of typical fiber cable results in roughly 883 kg of CO2 emissions, compared to 2,408 kg CO2 to produce 1 km of coaxial cable for cable internet.

What About Sattelites?

Building satellites requires exotic materials: aluminum alloys, titanium, rare-earth metals for electronics, and large solar panels. Satellite manufacturing involves mining and refining of these materials, with associated pollution. For instance, rare earth metal extraction can produce toxic byproducts, and mining in areas with lax regulations can severely damage ecosystems. Each satellite is essentially a high-tech device that one day becomes waste. While some components can burn up or be recycled after deorbiting, many end up as space debris or require careful disposal.

In contrast, fiber cables are mostly inert glass and plastic that sit in the ground or on poles without much ongoing environmental risk. Copper cables can be recycled (and indeed recycling copper from old phone lines is common), but even if copper is recyclable, the need to constantly upgrade or replace copper wiring leads to more waste over time. Fiber’s capacity means we don’t have to keep stringing new cables every few years.

Fiber is Built for Decades

Another green advantage of fiber is its longevity. Fiber-optic cables are incredibly durable and have no known expiration date for their data-carrying capability. Properly installed fiber can last decades underground or on poles. In fact, fiber cables installed over 35 years ago are still in use today, and they’re handling data at rates thousands of times faster than originally planned.

No other broadband medium – not copper, not satellite – offers this level of future-proofing. As one industry white paper put it, fiber is the only technology that can keep up with decades of growing demand without needing new cables in the ground.

Copper-based networks like DSL and cable age and degrade faster. Copper wires can corrode, especially when exposed to moisture, and their performance drops over time. Many telephone lines (DSL) in use are old – maintaining them becomes harder each year.

Even ignoring physical decay, the technology limits of copper are a bottleneck; there’s only so much data you can squeeze through an aging phone line or coax cable. So telcos and cable companies find themselves repeatedly upgrading nodes, shortening loop lengths, or replacing copper sections with fiber to boost speeds. These continual upgrades mean more new materials, more construction, and more waste over the long run. Fiber breaks that cycle: lay it once and it’s good for decades with minimal upgrades.

Longevity of Sattelites

Satellite internet also doesn’t score well on longevity. Satellites in low Earth orbit (used by services like Starlink) typically have a planned lifespan of about 5–7 years before they deorbit or need replacement. Even with improvements, satellites must be refreshed every few years to keep the network going (Starlink actually plans to deorbit satellites after ~5 years of service to prevent space junk). That means a constant stream of new satellites (and rocket launches) to replace the old – a perpetual hardware turnover.

Fiber, once laid, just quietly does its job for a generation or more. This longevity is a huge sustainability win: fewer replacements = less manufacturing and less waste. And because fiber can adapt to future technologies (10 Gbps, 100 Gbps, and beyond) without new cable, it prevents the scenario of having to re-dig trenches or launch new infrastructure every time we need a speed boost.

Sustainable Internet for a Greener Tomorrow

From energy savings and lower carbon emissions to sustainable materials and longevity, fiber-optic internet clearly outshines cable, DSL, and satellite in sustainability. In easy terms: fiber is the most sustainable internet you can get. It delivers your TikToks and Zoom calls using light instead of electricity, slashing energy use. It’s built from abundant sand, not scarce metals. It can serve us for decades without needing an overhaul. Plus, it doesn’t require rockets or massive power draw to keep you connected.

Ready to choose a sustainable internet service that’s faster and cleaner? Race Communications offers fiber internet with all the benefits we’ve discussed – ultra-fast speeds and an eco-friendly footprint.

Making the switch to fiber is a concrete way to reduce your household’s environmental impact while enjoying top-notch connectivity.

Join the green internet revolution with Race Communications fiber. Contact us to order fiber internet service today, and be part of a more sustainable future!