Based on the data from 967 rural household surveys in Hubei Province， this study focuses on measures to curb waste generation at the source in rural areas using an endogenous transformation model and empirically examines the impact of Internet use on rural residents’ domestic waste reduction within the framework of the counterfactual analysis，and further explores its underlying mechanism from the viewpoint of consumption upgrading.The results show that：1）Internet use significantly promotes the reduction of household waste among rural residents.The counterfactual results show that if the farmers who use the internet did not do so，their domestic waste generation would significantly increase.2）Consumption upgrade is the main transmission mechanism through which the internet exerts effect on reducing domestic waste.While the increase in consumption quantity due to online shopping will increase the amount of domestic waste generated，the optimization of consumption structure suppresses the amount of domestic waste generated.3）Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of the internet is more pronounced among elderly male farmers with lower education levels， and higher income levels. To effectively improve the governance of the rural living environment，governments at all levels can take measures such as strengthening internet infrastructure，advocating for rational consumption， accelerating comprehensive green transformation of production and lifestyle to promote the reduction of rural domestic waste and improve the efficiency of rural domestic waste management.