Streaming as an intangible service — and its real impact on the environment

Streaming has become as natural to us as turning on a light or checking the weather on our phones. We watch series, sports broadcasts, video podcasts, and live streams, often without even thinking about what is actually happening “behind the screen.”

Streaming, although intangible — because it does not produce smoke, generate plastic waste, or leave a factory on a truck — is in reality built on an enormous infrastructure of servers, networks, data centers, and information processing systems.

That is exactly why environmental responsibility in the IT industry is becoming increasingly important. Increasingly important for us as well.

Digital does not mean “intangible”

For years, the internet seemed almost invisible. A file appears on the screen, a video starts playing, a stream works smoothly — everything happens somewhere “in the cloud.” The problem is that the cloud actually consists of very real places: data centers, network infrastructure, and devices operating continuously, 24 hours a day.

Today, video streaming is one of the most demanding internet services. Content watched by millions of users must be:

• stored,
• processed,
• compressed,
• transmitted,
• and played back in real time.

The higher the video quality and the greater the number of users, the greater the infrastructure load becomes.

Of course, this does not mean streaming is “bad.” It is difficult to imagine today’s internet without video content. However, increasing attention is now being placed on how technologies responsible for content delivery are designed. That is why we focus on creating solutions that help deliver content in a more efficient and conscious way.

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Modern streaming is also about efficiency

In our company, we look at streaming as something much broader than just image quality or platform speed.

An increasingly important role is played by:

• efficient data transmission,
• reducing unnecessary transfer,
• better video compression,
• infrastructure stability,
• and more conscious management of digital resources.

Does it sound technical? A little. But in practice, it is mainly about creating services that work efficiently without generating unnecessary load.

We use modern video compression technologies that were not widely available just a few years ago. Thanks to them, platforms can deliver high-quality content while using less data transfer.

The same applies to adaptive video quality adjustment based on the user’s internet connection. If someone watches a video on a mobile phone while traveling, the system does not always need to stream the highest possible resolution.

We understand that even small improvements performed millions of times every day begin to have real global significance.

Sustainability in IT looks different than in other industries

When we think about sustainability, we usually imagine factories, emissions, or waste production. In the IT industry, the issue is less visible because most processes happen digitally.

That is exactly why it is easy to forget how much technology stands behind something as simple as streaming a video online.

Modern streaming is the result of cooperation between:

• data centers,
• transmission networks,
• data storage systems,
• streaming platforms,
• and user devices.

Each of these elements consumes energy and requires infrastructure operating almost continuously.

That is why today we focus not only on developing our services, but also on optimizing them. The goal is not to create a “perfectly ecological internet,” because that is simply impossible. Instead, it is about designing technology more consciously and reducing areas where resources are used unnecessarily.

Users also have an impact

Interestingly, the efficiency of streaming is influenced not only by technology companies, but also by users themselves.

Not every piece of content needs to be watched in 4K on a smartphone screen. Turning off inactive streams running in the background, using a stable internet connection, or adjusting playback quality to actual needs can also help reduce unnecessary data transfer.

These may seem like small things, but the modern internet is built on millions of such everyday decisions.

The future of streaming

Streaming will continue to grow — and there is little doubt about that. As video quality improves, live streaming expands, and the amount of online video content continues to rise, the importance of efficient infrastructure will continue to grow as well.

That is why already today we combine:

• technology development,
• service efficiency,
• conscious resource management,
• and a better understanding of how digital infrastructure impacts the environment.

We are aware that although streaming appears intangible, it is actually supported by one of the most complex technological infrastructures of the modern internet.