This vs. That: Is it better to stream a movie or have a DVD shipped to you?

The environmental impact isn’t always our first thought when we plan our daily activities. That’s why we’re introducing a new series of infographics, “This vs. That: Which has the smallest carbon footprint?” We’ll take a look at the different ways everyday activities impact our carbon emissions—even things like how you watch the movies you’re rooting for at the Academy Awards.

It seems like a no-brainer: Having a movie digitally delivered to your doorstep is the best choice when it comes to your carbon footprint, but is it? When considering the environmental benefits, most of us assume that not having a physical artifact automatically makes it more eco-friendly. As more and more “stuff” lives in the cloud, however, we must invest in more cloud infrastructure. Servers, buildings to house the servers and transmission capabilities all take energy and leave a footprint here on earth.

How do the choices stack-up against each other? The envelope please…