Windows 11 default desktop Chat/Teams widgets are Edge web views that eat up hundreds of MB of memory: https://archive.is/pyvEO
Edge also preloads in the background even if it's not the default browser: https://archive.md/AAjz4
Both links also detail how to disable these "features."
Here's the ultimate way to disable it: Don't downgrade your shit to Windows 11.
Alternatively fight fire with fire. Start telling normies about this but frame it in a way it will rile them up.
More active background apps = more electricity = more global warming.
There's enough basic arguing there it will work.