The Hidden Environmental Cost of your Computer: Wholegrain Digital

Sustainability Solved

Did you know you probably emit more CO2 from your website than your travel! Welcome to Sustainability Solved! In this episode, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton explore a surprising yet critical issue: digital emissions! Joined by Tom Greenwood and Georgie Monaghan of Wholegrain Digital, the conversation covers everything from the environmental impact of websites to how organisations can reduce their digital carbon footprint. This discussion offers actionable insights for anyone with a digital footprint (Yes, that’s probably you).

Problem

Digital emissions, often overlooked, contribute 4% of global carbon emissions, surpassing the aviation sector. Organisations frequently underestimate their digital footprint, focusing instead on areas like travel. This lack of awareness results in inefficient websites, high electricity usage from data centres, and excessive consumption of new tech.

Solutions

Optimising Websites:

• Build lightweight websites using lean code to minimise energy usage.
• Audit and reduce resource-heavy elements like autoplay videos, large images, and redundant scripts.
• Adopt green hosting providers powered by renewable energy.

Promoting Awareness:

• Use tools like the Website Carbon Calculator to measure digital impact.
• Encourage transparency about digital emissions in board-level discussions.

Extending Equipment Lifespan:

• Repair and refurbish devices instead of replacing them.
• Purchase refurbished technology and prioritise products with high repairability scores.

Innovative Cooling for Data Centres:

• Explore creative solutions like reusing data centre heat for community swimming pools or industrial applications.

Results

• Wholegrain Digital reduced one client’s website emissions by 94% through creative pixelation and optimisation techniques.
• Organisations like the UK Green Building Council have embraced these practices, integrating sustainability into their core operations and communications.
• Businesses are now reporting digital emissions at board level, leading to greater accountability and alignment with sustainability goals.

Takeaways

• Awareness is Key: Educate teams about the impact of digital emissions and their role in reducing them.
• Start Small, Think Big: Begin with low-hanging fruits like using dark mode, adjusting video quality, and switching to green hosting.
• Leverage Tools: Utilise resources like the Digital Declutter Toolkit to identify actionable changes.
• Continuous Maintenance: Regularly review and optimise websites and digital processes to sustain long-term benefits.

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Mentions and Resources

• Possible by Chris Goodall
• The Ministry for the Future
• Sustainable Web Design by Tom Greenwood
• UKGBC.ORG
• Deep Green
• Greenpeace, Click, Clean
• Tom Greenwood Substack

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at [e-mail].

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

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