A quick tap on Google Maps, a casual search query, a video to unwind at the end of the day – our digital lives feel light and limitless. Data seems to flow effortlessly, leaving no trace behind. But beneath the smooth surface of our digital world, a high-intensity metabolic system is running at full speed: data centres, cloud systems, algorithms, and data streams consume vast amounts of water and energy. Despite their constant availability, digital products are not an inexhaustible resource. So why do we overlook the environmental cost of our digital consumption? And what does this have to do with a “metabolic rift”?
