In today’s world, our lives are deeply intertwined with technology. From streaming services to social media and routine email checks, our increasing reliance on digital devices contributes significantly to our carbon footprint. While the optimal solution would be to cut out your digital impact completely, this is obviously not something we can do in this day and age. Digital services use substantial energy (mostly from non-renewable sources) to run servers, data centers, and global network infrastructures. However, there are several strategies you can adopt to minimize your digital impact without sacrificing the conveniences of modern technology. Here’s how!
1. Reduce data storage
Cloud storage relies on data centers which are energy-intensive to operate. Minimize your use of cloud services by keeping only essential data stored online. For the things you do keep in the cloud, regularly go through them and clean out old emails, photos, documents, and files. Good rule of thumb: if you haven’t opened the file in 6 months, it might be time to get rid of it! Consider using external hard drives or SSDs for storing large files, as they require less energy for data retrieval and don’t rely on continuous energy use like data centers.
2. Unsubscribe and uninstall
Maintain a clean digital space by unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters, emails, and digital services that add to the digital clutter stored on servers. Similarly, uninstall apps and software on your phone, laptop, iPad, etc. that you no longer use to prevent them from running background processes and using up data and energy.
3. Optimize your devices
Adjusting the settings on your devices can lead to significant energy savings. Lower the brightness of your screens, set your devices to sleep or power down after a short period of inactivity, and deactivate push notifications and background data for apps that you don’t use frequently. These small changes will also extend the life of your devices too!
4. Stream responsibly
Streaming videos and music consumes a lot of energy, especially when using services that rely on high-definition content. Optimize your streaming settings by choosing lower resolution, like standard definition (SD), when possible.
5. Limit unnecessary digital communication
Digital communications, including emails and messages, require server power for data transfer and storage. Be mindful of your communication habits. Avoid sending unnecessary emails whenever possible and avoid the dreaded “reply all”. Each email might seem insignificant, but when multiplied by millions of users, the energy used to process these communications adds up. It might be helpful to discuss this with your coworkers too, to make your office more eco-friendly.
6. Support green web hosting
If you manage a website, choose a web hosting provider that operates on renewable energy or purchases carbon offsets. Green web hosts use energy-efficient servers and are more mindful of their environmental impact, making them a responsible choice for reducing your digital footprint.
Reducing your digital impact is about making more conscious choices regarding how you use technology. We can’t escape technology so might as well implement these tips to lower the environmental impact. Each small step contributes to a larger effort to mitigate climate change and promote sustainability in our increasingly digital world. How do you reduce your impact in the digital world??
Love,
Jenna ♥
