Digitization and sustainability are the two mainstream concerns in the current ecosystem but are these two compatible with each other? We all are familiar with the statement “ Go digital, Go Paperless”, which is undeniably true as we know every industry has welcomed digitalization with open arms. People are preferring digitalization over using paper as deforestation is one of the concerns in the obsolescence of the plant. And it not only helps in reducing paper usage but over a few years digitalization has become a means to spread information and awareness about sustainability because of which people are now more aware of climate change than ever before. It has become a medium where people choose to support, promote, sell and buy sustainable products, which help in making these more and more acceptable to society. However, there is a question that has to be asked. Does digitalization harm the environment in any way?
Is digitalization a concern for the environment?
Every online interaction we do from making a click to watching an entire video creates a carbon footprint and quietly contributes to climate change. Climate change is now one of the most talked-about issues in society. Still, it is primarily focused on the impact of physical waste, resources use, and emission growth, ignoring the impact of our online activities. In the atmosphere, carbon footprints act like blankets that prevent heat from passing and revolving, leading to global warming, one of the most pressing global issues. Our internet reliability shows that power-guzzling data is becoming more prevalent and will continue to do so in the near future. Taking this into account, Elon Musk recently decided not to accept bitcoin payments through Tesla, citing concerns about the rapid rise in the use of fossil fuels in bitcoin mining. In upcoming digitalization, it will take thousands of computers to validate NFT transactions, for example, as they are usually traded on the blockchain platform. Digital sustainability is vital for companies to make the most of digital technology for business goals without harming the environment. Solutions always back every concern and the stated concern is also backed by a few solutions to reduce the harm caused by digitalization.
Steps towards Digital Sustainability
Companies and brands have a greater influence over society and consumer preferences, and know-how for the greater good goes. As customer values sustainability, it is equally important to include it in your digital strategy. Here are a few steps an organization can take to contribute to digital sustainability:
- Develop a sustainable digital infrastructure: There are many big companies such as google, amazon, and others that are claiming to operate carbon-free in the future by working on their infrastructure to generate less carbon footprint. Similarly, every business can also contribute by making the digital infrastructure sustainable by properly measuring and analyzing the carbon footprint generation and taking the action accordingly.
- Implement green software practices: It is important to incorporate green software practices into the software development process for customers and companies to assess the impact of their online activities on the environment, preventing unnecessary activity online, as well as rethinking data collection and storage as most organizations struggle with data overload and over-collection.
- Reorganizing and maintaining data storage: In addition to taking up valuable space, overloaded data creates a threat to the environment by creating the need for more and more storage space. Eliminate redundant, obsolete, and trivial data from your storage and retention policies to avoid overloading them. Create policies and rules for new data by identifying, what to collect and for how long to keep it.
- Educate consumers about sustainable digital behavior: Encourage your consumer to demand new, integrated technology that allows them to monitor their carbon footprint and be open and transparent about the carbon footprint of your digital assets and online activities, as customers appreciate that.
- Provide training to your designers, developers, and experts: As people are not very much aware of this concern, developers or designers rarely think about climate change while creating websites. They should be educated about what they can do while making a website to make it more environmentally friendly. Sustainability should be added to their design principle. In contrast to normally used websites, the option to change to dark mode and use smaller images reduces the carbon footprint.
When the company becomes transparent to show its customers how they are making a positive impact on our planet, the brand somehow goes up on their priority list. As people are now concerned about the environment and ready to contribute in any way possible. It influences who they choose to invest in services and impacts their overall lifestyle choices. People want to know where their products come from and how they’re made in conditions, and to support their local communities. Communicate the sustainability of all your wonderful eco-conscious initiatives to your audience- sustainable digital marketing.
