Taylor's Open Day   {{vm.currentPagination}}/{{vm.totalSlide}}
Discover how your passion can create real-world impact at a university ranked #253 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and recognised with a MyQUEST 2022 ‘Competitive’ rating. Join Now
Notice   {{vm.currentPagination}}/{{vm.totalSlide}}
Effective 1 July 2025, a 6% service tax will be applied on Taylor’s University fees and charges related to education services provided to non-Malaysian citizens. Learn More

Nomadic by Nature, Carbon Heavy by Choice

{{ vm.tagsGroup }}

16 Jun 2025

6 Min Read

Preevena Devi (Contributing Writer)

IN THIS ARTICLE

Digital nomads live light—but travel heavy. Frequent flights, short stays, and single-use habits add up to a bigger carbon footprint than you’d think.

Remote work is no longer just a perk—it’s become a global movement. In recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, millions have untethered themselves from traditional office spaces, choosing instead to work from laptops under palm trees and in coworking cafés across distant cities. The rise of the digital nomad has redefined what work can look like: borderless, flexible, and tech-enabled.

 

Social media overflows with envy-inducing images: young professionals typing away on balconies in Bali, sipping coffee in Lisbon, or hiking through Chiang Mai between Zoom calls. What was once a fantasy has become a reality—a lifestyle that’s spreading fast. But beneath the aesthetic of freedom and wanderlust lies a growing environmental and cultural dilemma—one we urgently need to confront.

The Allure of the Nomadic Life

Let’s face it—the appeal is undeniable. Imagine choosing your office view, chasing good weather, or discovering new cultures while still earning a living. For many, digital nomadism symbolises freedom from the 9-to-5 grind—a chance to travel extensively without pausing their careers.

 

There’s a deeply romanticised narrative surrounding this lifestyle. It promises the best of both worlds: economic stability and perpetual adventure. But it also tends to attract a specific demographic: young, tech-savvy individuals, often from countries with passports that open many borders and bank accounts that offer a buffer of privilege.

 

Yet with all this freedom comes an overlooked responsibility—one that goes beyond self-discipline or good Wi-Fi. It’s about understanding the broader impacts that come with such mobility, and who ultimately pays the price for this way of life.

The Carbon Footprint of Constant Travel

One of the most immediate—and often ignored—consequences of the nomadic lifestyle is its environmental cost. While digital nomads may not commute to an office every day, many fly frequently between countries—and those long-haul flights dramatically increase their carbon footprint.

A view of an aeroplane wing and the sky through the window

A single round-trip flight from London to Bali emits more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than the average person in some developing countries produces in an entire year. Multiply that by the thousands of digital nomads hopping between Portugal, Vietnam, and Colombia, and the problem becomes harder to dismiss.

 

Even once on the ground, the carbon load continues: local transport, short-term housing, and constant use of energy-intensive services all add up. The location-independent dream, it turns out, is built on a heavily carbon-dependent reality.

The Environmental Toll of Working Online

Carbon emissions aren’t just tied to movement. The digital tools that make remote work possible also take a significant environmental toll. While many digital nomads may pride themselves on ‘minimalism,’ their always-connected lifestyle is powered by energy-intensive infrastructure.

A hallway in a data centre with rows of glowing orange server racks

Cloud services, data centres, and broadband networks operate around the clock, consuming vast amounts of electricity—much of it still generated from fossil fuels. Then there’s the hardware: laptops, smartphones, noise-cancelling headphones, even portable Wi-Fi routers—all with their own carbon footprint. Add to that frequent upgrades, short product life cycles, and the resulting e-waste, and the eco-friendly image begins to crumble.

 

TL; DR: Working remotely doesn't automatically mean working sustainably.

The Cost of Living Locally, Remotely

Beyond global emissions and digital infrastructure, there are local costs to consider—particularly in popular digital nomad hubs like Bali, Canggu, Ubud, Chiang Mai, and Tulum. While digital nomads do contribute economically by renting villas, supporting local cafés, and joining coworking spaces, their presence can strain local infrastructure. Overburdened waste systems, water contamination, rising living costs and gentrification often follow in their wake. 

Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

In Bali, for example, frustration among locals is mounting. Some foreigners treat the island like a ‘cheap playground’—ignoring temple dress codes, driving recklessly, and turning sacred spaces into photo ops. Many fail to engage meaningfully with Balinese customs or daily life, reducing a vibrant culture to little more than Instagram content.

 

This kind of behaviour isn’t just inconsiderate—it reflects a modern form of cultural extraction, where the land and its beauty are consumed, while the people and their struggles are rendered invisible.

The Colonial Echoes of Digital Nomadism

In fact, cultural extraction often parallels neocolonialism—and here’s the uncomfortable truth: digital nomadism can replicate these colonial patterns. When affluent foreigners settle in communities across the Global South, take advantage of low costs, and reshape local economies around their lifestyles, the dynamic begins to echo older forms of exploitation. Many digital nomads arrive with the privileges of currency strength, global mobility, and tech capital, yet contribute little beyond service-based consumption.

 

Even government policies play into this dynamic. In recent years, countries have introduced ‘digital nomad visas’ to attract foreign income and investment, while failing to address the downstream effects: housing crises, rising costs of living, and environmental degradation. These schemes—seen in countries like Armenia, Estonia, Portugal, Indonesia, and Costa Rica—typically restrict access to local job markets, yet still favour affluent foreigners who can afford to live comfortably while drawing on local infrastructure and services. 

 

The result? Local communities are sidelined—facing displacement, cultural erosion, and economic exclusion as neighbourhoods gentrify and prices rise. The benefits flow upwards, while the burdens fall on those with the least power to absorb them. It's a tale as old as colonial trade routes: extract resources—now in the form of lifestyle, experience, and aesthetics—then move on to the next ‘unspoiled’ location before the damage sets in. Unless digital nomads critically engage with these dynamics, they risk becoming complicit in a contemporary form of exploitation.

Choosing a More Sustainable Nomadic Life

Despite the difficult truths, it’s not all doom and data. Digital nomadism doesn't have to mirror extractive systems—there are ways to live and work remotely with greater care and awareness.

  • Stay longer, travel less.

Instead of hopping between destinations every few weeks, digital nomads could choose to stay in one place for longer periods. This not only reduces air travel emissions but also fosters deeper cultural connection and more meaningful engagement with local life.

  • Choose eco-conscious destinations.

Digital nomads share a responsibility to support cities that prioritise sustainability—those with effective waste management, low-impact tourism policies, and active environmental efforts.

  • Travel greener.

Where possible, skip taxis and flights. Opt for trains, buses, and shared transport instead. In much of Europe and Asia, public transit is efficient, affordable, and far more climate-friendly.

  • Support local economies.

Eat local, shop local, and choose local. Avoid international chains and platforms that extract more than they contribute. (Yes, that includes your favourite fast food stop!)

  • Power down mindfully.

This applies everywhere. Unplug idle devices, use energy-efficient technology, and limit unnecessary digital activity. Even switching to cloud providers powered by renewable energy—like Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), or Microsoft Azure—is another step towards a smaller digital footprint.

The Future of Remote Work and Sustainable Travel

The digital nomad lifestyle isn’t going away. If anything, it’s becoming more accessible—and more aspirational—as remote work becomes more of the norm and borders become less of a barrier. But the model as it stands is overdue for a radical rethink.

 

What if this freedom to live and work anywhere came with accountability? What if it didn’t just benefit digital nomads but also actively supported the destinations they passed through? What if romanticising the lifestyle was matched by real-world practices—of respect, sustainability, and solidarity?

 

This lifestyle doesn’t have to be extractive. It can be regenerative. It can prioritise mutual care over individual convenience—long-term value over short-term novelty. But that shift depends on how digital nomads choose to live, engage, and contribute.

Conclusion

So, before you book your next flight to Bali—or wherever your remote desk may take you—pause: think about what you’re bringing with you and what you’re leaving behind.

 

If you’re choosing presence over permanence, seeking inspiration beyond the familiar, or building a life less ordinary, that’s something to celebrate. But don’t let your dream come at the cost of someone else’s home, culture, or environment. 

 

Be curious, not careless. Contribute, don’t just consume. Because true freedom isn’t just about mobility—it’s about responsibility.

Is there a greener path for the digital nomad generation? Explore our programmes at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events that lead the way in sustainable work, travel, and global connection.

Preevena Devi pursued Cambridge A Level at Taylor's College before attending Monash University. She is a biomedical science student, a passionate feminist, and a firm believer in the transformative power of the written word to change the world!

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED
{{ item.articleDate ? vm.formatDate(item.articleDate) : '' }}
{{ item.readTime }} Min Read