Media’s Carbon Shadow: Confronting the Hidden Climate Cost of Advertising

Written by Benn Marine, Campfire Consulting’s Director of Impact

Every Earth Day, we’re invited to think about our impact on the planet. For many, that means considering what we eat, how we commute, or how much plastic we consume. But there’s a deeper layer that often goes unnoticed—and it’s one that those of us in media have a direct hand in shaping: the environmental footprint of the stories we tell, the systems we fund, and the attention we commodify.

The truth is, media isn’t just a passive narrator of the climate crisis—it’s actively shaping it.

Let’s start with the emissions. The global digital advertising ecosystem is responsible for an estimated 3 to 5 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than the aviation industry. And yet, when we talk about climate solutions, advertising rarely enters the conversation. It should. Because behind every ad campaign is a sprawling supply chain of energy-hungry servers, real-time bidding algorithms, and thousands of data transfers per second—all powered by a grid still largely dependent on fossil fuels.

A single programmatic campaign can generate more carbon than a roundtrip flight across the Atlantic. That’s not hyperbole—it’s the math. And as digital ad spending continues to soar, so too does the carbon shadow it casts.

But the impact of media isn’t just about emissions—it’s about influence.

The average person sees a few hundred ads a day. Most of them aren’t promoting sustainable behaviors. Instead, they’re pushing fast fashion, ultra-processed foods, next-day delivery, and all the shiny new stuff we’re told we need to feel enough. These messages normalize overconsumption in a world already bursting at the seams of its ecological limits.

And then there’s the issue of misinformation. The very same ad infrastructure that allows us to reach people with precision is also fueling climate denial at scale. In fact, research shows that a significant portion of climate disinformation online is monetized through programmatic ads—often paid for by well-intentioned brands who have no idea where their dollars are landing. The lack of transparency in media buying makes it easy for bad actors to profit from delay, confusion, and doubt.

This should be a wake-up call.

If media helped get us into this mess, it also holds the power to help lead us out. But only if we’re willing to change how we measure success. Right now, most campaigns are judged by impressions, conversions, and ROAS. What if we expanded that lens? What if we also measured carbon emissions, equity of reach, and cultural impact?

Tools already exist to do this. Carbon calculators for digital media like Scope3 are giving agencies and brands the ability to track emissions across campaigns. Some are even beginning to adjust bidding strategies to prioritize lower-emission media placements. And perhaps most importantly, there’s a growing movement to reinvest in local journalism and trusted media—because democracy needs an informed public, and the planet needs stories grounded in truth.

At Campfire, we’re leaning into this work with humility and resolve. We know we’re part of the problem—and we’re determined to be part of the solution. That means making hard choices, asking better questions, and pushing for a media ecosystem that regenerates more than it extracts.

Earth Day shouldn’t just be a time to feel good about planting trees or sharing nature photos. It should be a moment of reckoning. A time to confront the unseen impacts of our industries and ask: What are we really fueling?

The climate crisis is a systems crisis. Media is one of those systems. And if we’re serious about building a future where both people and the planet thrive, then media—and those of us who shape it—have to be serious about transformation.

That’s why at Campfire, we’re not just talking about change—we’re building it: by measuring the carbon footprint of our campaigns, investing directly in journalism, forging publisher relationships rooted in trust, and designing highly targeted media strategies that reduce waste, amplify impact, and align profit with purpose.

Because media got us here—and if we do it right, media can help lead us out.