2004-07-01_PICT0044 2004-07-01_PICT0055 2004-07-02_PICT0074 2004-07-02_PICT0077 2004-07-03_PICT0113 2004-07-03_PICT0137 2007-03-20_DSCN0061 2007-03-22_DSC_0043 2007-03-22_DSC_0081 2007-03-22_DSC_0186 2007-03-22_DSC_0188 2007-03-22_DSC_0195 2007-03-22_DSC_0250 2007-03-23_DSC_0067 2007-03-23_DSC_0072 2007-03-23_DSC_0265 2007-03-23_DSC_0277 2007-03-23_DSC_0278 2007-03-23_DSC_0305 2007-03-23_DSC_0333 2007-03-28_DSC_0014 2007-03-28_DSC_0037 2007-03-29_DSC_0029 2007-03-29_DSC_0129 2007-03-29_DSC_0202 2007-03-30_DSC_0068 2007-04-05_DSC_0051 2007-04-06_DSC_0217 2007-04-07_DSC_0003 2007-04-07_DSC_0068 2007-04-15_DSC_0049 2007-04-15_DSC_0050 2007-04-18_DSC_0133 2007-04-18_DSC_0146 2007-04-18_DSC_0160 2007-06-15_DSC_0279 2007-06-15_DSC_0334 2007-06-15_DSC_0578 2007-06-16_DSC_0608 2007-07-07_DSC_1175 2007-07-08_DSC_1326 2009-03-29_dsc_2149 2009-03-29_dsc_2154 2009-04-09_dsc_2228 2009-05-03_dsc_2319 2009-05-07_dsc_2351 2009-06-02_dsc_2407 2009-06-02_dsc_2445 2009-06-02_dsc_2454 2009-06-02_dsc_2463 2009-06-03_dsc_2649 2010-09-27_DSC_2802 2010-09-27_DSC_2820

An ICF International report commissioned by McAfee estimates the environmental impact of all that spam that ends up in your inbox.

We never consider that what happens in the virtual world of the internet can have an impact on the environment.  But the internet runs on electricity and the generation of electricity more often than not has an environmental impact.

If you consider the electricity used to send, filter, download and finally delete spam it emits the equivalent in carbon of approximately 3.1 million cars every year.  This quantifies the very real cost of spammers to our society.

So what can you do?

From StopSpamHere.ca:

    Protect your computer
    Spam is a growing source of computer viruses. It's critical that you protect your computer from virus-carrying spam messages. Install and regularly update antivirus and anti-spam software. If you don't have the extra protection of a firewall, get it.

    Protect your email address
    Reserve one email address for your trusted personal and business contacts. Create a separate, expendable email address for other online uses.

    Protect yourself
    Don't try, don't buy and don't reply to spam. Just delete it. It's a great way to prevent receiving more spam in the future.