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Digital is everywhere. In our pockets, our offices, our servers, our clouds. It is used for everything: to get information, to produce, to produce, to sell, to work, to have fun. And while digital technology has long been perceived as intangible — and therefore clean —, the figures prove the opposite: digital technology now represents around 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that could double by 2025 if nothing changes.
But then, how can we decarbonize the digital world without sacrificing performance or hampering innovation? This is the challenge of a more sober, more responsible approach, more aligned with the planet's limits. Good news: solutions exist, especially in France. Here is a concrete overview to start the digital transition of your company.
Before acting, you need to understand. The environmental footprint of digital technology does not only come from the emails we send or the videos we watch. It is divided into three main emission sources.
It's the Highest transmitter station, and by far. Computers, smartphones, tablets, connected objects: their manufacture mobilizes rare resources, energy, and generates significant emissions. According to The Shift Project, 80% of the environmental impact of a smartphone is linked to its production.
The data we generate must be stored somewhere. Data centers consume a considerable amount of electricity, especially for cooling. And their number is constantly growing. In 2021, it was estimated that they represented 1% of global electricity consumption.
Streaming, cloud, repeated video calls, endless scrolling on networks... These uses require networks, servers and our devices. Digital technology is not only a tool: it is also a culture of the instantaneous and abundant that deserves to be redesigned.
Faced with this observation, the watchword is clear: sobriety. Not in the sense of deprivation, but ofintelligent optimization of uses. Here are the three main levers to activate.
It is the simplest, and often the most overlooked. Delete unnecessary emails, deactivate videos in meetings, avoid heavy attachments, switch to audio mode when video calls for nothing... These small actions, multiplied across a company, make a real difference.
A website, an application, a newsletter: everything can be designed to consume less. This involves:
Tools like EcoIndex, GreenIT Analysis or Fruggr make it possible to measure the impact of a digital service and to optimize it.
Why change computers every 3 years? With a little maintenance and good practices, equipment can last much longer. It also means choosing equipment that is repairable, modular, and if possible reconditioned.
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Fortunately, many French companies are already offering concrete alternatives to decarbonize digital technology. Here are a few things you should definitely know.
To measure, you must first see. And to see, you have to equip yourself.
Lightening your emails, avoiding bulky attachments, designing low-tech sites or rethinking your newsletter in a lightweight version are all possible actions. At 425PPM, we have for example Changed the emailing tool for a more simple solution, in line with our values.
A successful transition requires a structured approach, conducted with method and consistency.
Beyond the environmental impact, this transition allows you to:
Digital technology is a great tool. But misused, it becomes an accelerator of climate change. Decarbonizing the digital world is not going back. It is choosing the right dose, the right tools, the right uses. It's questioning speed, abundance, and the invisible. It's taking care of infrastructure, content, and intent.
So let's ask ourselves this simple question: Do we really need everything we use today? If the answer is no, the transition can begin. And it starts here.
