Digital Sustainability
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Surfing the web isn’t just bad for your brain – It’s terrible for the environment

How can consumers, designers, and companies can create a better Internet?

Katie-May Boyd & Caroline Jacob
7 min read

Online activity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Accelerated by the pandemic, nearly 60% of the world’s population is online, compared with only 8% in 2001. Although digital usage and accessibility will continue to rise exponentially, there remains little awareness of the hidden carbon emissions that are produced by our daily scrolling and its damaging impact on our planet.

From the device you use to the cabling infrastructure to cellular towers and data centres, all of these contribute to the energy and electricity that’s required to run the Internet. According to the BBC, carbon emissions generated by the Internet, devices, and systems that support it account for 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all aviation emissions (2.5%).

As designers working with startups and tech giants, we’ve started thinking about the future of the metaverse, the invisible impact of digital carbon, and ways in which we can encourage leaner practices when surfing the web. Because not all online activity is created equal, Internet users and e-commerce companies can actually play a role in minimising digital emission.

How can individuals cut digital carbon?

Corporations are making promises. Google pledges to run on exclusively renewable energy, while Microsoft is running on “manufactured DNA.” As individuals, we can also examine our own daily digital behaviours to move toward creating less carbon.

  • Wi-Fi vs. data: “Using a phone over a mobile network is at least twice as energy-intensive as using it over Wi-Fi,” says Lancaster University’s Mike Hazas. There is arguably no perceivable difference between browsing on Wi-Fi compared to data. We may, however, unknowingly be consuming twice the carbon by scrolling or watching our content over 4G instead of Wi-Fi.
  • If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: The embodied energy consumption of a digital device is huge. Eighty-four percent of the lifecycle carbon emission of the iPhone 13 Max occurs before you open the box. Upgrading devices less often or buying refurbished tech makes a real difference.

  • Image vs. video: Video streaming accounts for more than half of Internet traffic and is much more carbon-intensive than image or text-based content. To put this into context, scrolling on TikTok for one minute uses twice the CO2 of scrolling for one minute on Instagram.

In an even more radical move, individuals could cut out unnecessary digital interaction altogether, following a concept put forward by The Shift Project, a French think tank specialising in digital carbon impact. The Shift Project proposes “Lean ICT,” a transition that combines buying the least powerful equipment possible, changing it as infrequently as possible, and, crucially, reducing unnecessary energy-intensive activities.

By understanding the impact and consequently unpicking the way we use all digital devices, systems, and infrastructure, we can curb our over-consumption of digital content and move toward more conscious digital behaviour.

How can designers create a more sustainable internet?

Although individuals can make a difference, UX designers, software developers, and marketing teams have a key responsibility to play in minimising Internet energy use. Sustainable coding and self-sufficient Internet (websites that are locally stored and/or solar powered) are slowly making their way in, through more efficient and simplified online content.

Designers and decision makers must encourage digital sobriety and cut down energy-draining features, while ensuring digital interfaces don’t become less attractive.

Video and imagery take up most data bandwidth. By eliminating images or making them much smaller, we can reduce the size of a page and lower the energy spend. Visuals, however, are a key feature in the digital world. In an online space that’s flooded with content, we gravitate toward compelling videos and images–think about your use of on-demand entertainment services, online retail, and social media platforms. Equally, we like to consume content quickly–given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to watch something rather than read it? Videos and images provide an immediacy that text simply can’t compete with.

The Low-Tech Magazine‘s solar-powered site takes an interesting approach: By dithering all of their images (an image-compression technique popular in the 1990), they are transformed into pixelated black and white with a full-color bleed over the top, making them 10 times less resource-intensive.

Color can also make a difference; Dutch clothing brand Organic Basics‘ low impact website has minimized the power consumption across all aspects of the website, including carefully selecting muted colors such as grey, green, and cream. These tones emit less light on the LEDs of our device screens, thus using less energy.

What’s the role for brands?

Organisations and tech giants will also have to work to make online products and services more environmentally friendly. Beyond energy wastage, this can be an opportunity to make the Internet more purposeful. Ads, for instance, take up a large proportion of a web page and, in addition to the carbon implications, contribute to visual pollution, impairing the overall customer experience. Would a world without ads be possible and, if so, what would that look like?

The European site for USA Today removed all of its tracking scripts and ads to be compliant with GDPR legislation in the European Union. This immediately shrank the site from 5 megabytes to 500 kilobytes. It still looks the same - there are just no ads. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine this becoming more widespread, given that ads pay for most of the Internet. There would need to be a colossal shift of business models to start discussing wide-spread adoption of ad-free sites.

Tech companies could also help their users better understand the problem. At the moment, our digital carbon usage is invisible and notoriously hard to work out. Can brands and designers make it easier for people to measure their carbon footprint? Instead of the “daily time limit” on social media sites, perhaps there could be a “daily carbon limit” that notifies you once you clock up a certain level of emissions. There are currently a small number of carbon-tracker browser extensions, such as Carbonalyser, which track and visualise your real-time usage. The next step would be optimising this for mobile usage and setting daily targets.

Governments also have a huge role to play, and there are noticeable failings in current legislation.

For instance, during the recent COP26 climate summit, there was a real focus on how digital technologies could enable routes to tackle climate change. Conversely, we couldn’t find any acknowledgment of the carbon impact around digital usage.

Moving forward

As we wake up to the carbon impact of digital tech and services, how will our behavior change? Near term, we’ll hopefully see an increasing number of businesses reduce their digital emissions through optimization and lean practices. Further on, as we move toward digital sobriety, we could see behaviors that once felt commonplace–like double-screening Netflix or scrolling through TikTok–as wasteful. Could video that’s deemed unnecessary one day feel like a waste of resources? In 2030, will a three-minute video of a cat “playing” the piano on YouTube be the equivalent of the demonized single-use plastic bag?

Katie-May Boyd and Caroline Jacob are CMF Strategists at Seymourpowell.

Sustainability
Web Design
Technology
Digital Sustainability
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Surfing the web isn’t just bad for your brain – It’s terrible for the environment

How can consumers, designers, and companies can create a better Internet?

Katie-May Boyd & Caroline Jacob
7 min read

Online activity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Accelerated by the pandemic, nearly 60% of the world’s population is online, compared with only 8% in 2001. Although digital usage and accessibility will continue to rise exponentially, there remains little awareness of the hidden carbon emissions that are produced by our daily scrolling and its damaging impact on our planet.

From the device you use to the cabling infrastructure to cellular towers and data centres, all of these contribute to the energy and electricity that’s required to run the Internet. According to the BBC, carbon emissions generated by the Internet, devices, and systems that support it account for 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all aviation emissions (2.5%).

As designers working with startups and tech giants, we’ve started thinking about the future of the metaverse, the invisible impact of digital carbon, and ways in which we can encourage leaner practices when surfing the web. Because not all online activity is created equal, Internet users and e-commerce companies can actually play a role in minimising digital emission.

How can individuals cut digital carbon?

Corporations are making promises. Google pledges to run on exclusively renewable energy, while Microsoft is running on “manufactured DNA.” As individuals, we can also examine our own daily digital behaviours to move toward creating less carbon.

  • Wi-Fi vs. data: “Using a phone over a mobile network is at least twice as energy-intensive as using it over Wi-Fi,” says Lancaster University’s Mike Hazas. There is arguably no perceivable difference between browsing on Wi-Fi compared to data. We may, however, unknowingly be consuming twice the carbon by scrolling or watching our content over 4G instead of Wi-Fi.
  • If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: The embodied energy consumption of a digital device is huge. Eighty-four percent of the lifecycle carbon emission of the iPhone 13 Max occurs before you open the box. Upgrading devices less often or buying refurbished tech makes a real difference.

  • Image vs. video: Video streaming accounts for more than half of Internet traffic and is much more carbon-intensive than image or text-based content. To put this into context, scrolling on TikTok for one minute uses twice the CO2 of scrolling for one minute on Instagram.

In an even more radical move, individuals could cut out unnecessary digital interaction altogether, following a concept put forward by The Shift Project, a French think tank specialising in digital carbon impact. The Shift Project proposes “Lean ICT,” a transition that combines buying the least powerful equipment possible, changing it as infrequently as possible, and, crucially, reducing unnecessary energy-intensive activities.

By understanding the impact and consequently unpicking the way we use all digital devices, systems, and infrastructure, we can curb our over-consumption of digital content and move toward more conscious digital behaviour.

How can designers create a more sustainable internet?

Although individuals can make a difference, UX designers, software developers, and marketing teams have a key responsibility to play in minimising Internet energy use. Sustainable coding and self-sufficient Internet (websites that are locally stored and/or solar powered) are slowly making their way in, through more efficient and simplified online content.

Designers and decision makers must encourage digital sobriety and cut down energy-draining features, while ensuring digital interfaces don’t become less attractive.

Video and imagery take up most data bandwidth. By eliminating images or making them much smaller, we can reduce the size of a page and lower the energy spend. Visuals, however, are a key feature in the digital world. In an online space that’s flooded with content, we gravitate toward compelling videos and images–think about your use of on-demand entertainment services, online retail, and social media platforms. Equally, we like to consume content quickly–given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to watch something rather than read it? Videos and images provide an immediacy that text simply can’t compete with.

The Low-Tech Magazine‘s solar-powered site takes an interesting approach: By dithering all of their images (an image-compression technique popular in the 1990), they are transformed into pixelated black and white with a full-color bleed over the top, making them 10 times less resource-intensive.

Color can also make a difference; Dutch clothing brand Organic Basics‘ low impact website has minimized the power consumption across all aspects of the website, including carefully selecting muted colors such as grey, green, and cream. These tones emit less light on the LEDs of our device screens, thus using less energy.

What’s the role for brands?

Organisations and tech giants will also have to work to make online products and services more environmentally friendly. Beyond energy wastage, this can be an opportunity to make the Internet more purposeful. Ads, for instance, take up a large proportion of a web page and, in addition to the carbon implications, contribute to visual pollution, impairing the overall customer experience. Would a world without ads be possible and, if so, what would that look like?

The European site for USA Today removed all of its tracking scripts and ads to be compliant with GDPR legislation in the European Union. This immediately shrank the site from 5 megabytes to 500 kilobytes. It still looks the same - there are just no ads. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine this becoming more widespread, given that ads pay for most of the Internet. There would need to be a colossal shift of business models to start discussing wide-spread adoption of ad-free sites.

Tech companies could also help their users better understand the problem. At the moment, our digital carbon usage is invisible and notoriously hard to work out. Can brands and designers make it easier for people to measure their carbon footprint? Instead of the “daily time limit” on social media sites, perhaps there could be a “daily carbon limit” that notifies you once you clock up a certain level of emissions. There are currently a small number of carbon-tracker browser extensions, such as Carbonalyser, which track and visualise your real-time usage. The next step would be optimising this for mobile usage and setting daily targets.

Governments also have a huge role to play, and there are noticeable failings in current legislation.

For instance, during the recent COP26 climate summit, there was a real focus on how digital technologies could enable routes to tackle climate change. Conversely, we couldn’t find any acknowledgment of the carbon impact around digital usage.

Moving forward

As we wake up to the carbon impact of digital tech and services, how will our behavior change? Near term, we’ll hopefully see an increasing number of businesses reduce their digital emissions through optimization and lean practices. Further on, as we move toward digital sobriety, we could see behaviors that once felt commonplace–like double-screening Netflix or scrolling through TikTok–as wasteful. Could video that’s deemed unnecessary one day feel like a waste of resources? In 2030, will a three-minute video of a cat “playing” the piano on YouTube be the equivalent of the demonized single-use plastic bag?

Indicators
Mireille Steinhage
Solar Empowerment

In an effort to bring renewable energy to those who need it, design graduate, Mireille Steinhage, has invented a self-heating, solar-powered blanket which is made from conductive yarn.

Studio Floris Schoonderbeek and Sweco
Local Food Systems

The Circle Farming project, from Studio Floris Schoonderbeek and Sweco, provides a comprehensive solution to bridge the gap between urban and rural food production. This community revolves around agricultural-circled fields and provides housing, nature, and recreation on the fringes of the green space.

Sunne by Marjan van Aubel
Designing with Sunlight

Sunne, by Marjan van Aubel, is a solar-powered, indoor light which stores, produces, and captures light. It harvests energy from the sun during the day: at night, it brings light inside.

Luma Arles Arts centre
No Space for Waste

Designed by Frank Gehry, the Luma Arles Arts centre in France has been clad with a progressive palette of locally produced, natural materials, including salt, algae, and sunflower waste.

Syntropia Re-FREAM
From Seed to Shoe

The Syntropia Re-FREAM project, initiated by Sophia Guggenberger and Eugenia Morpurgo, explores the regeneration of ecosystems through circular manufacturing, from 'seed to shoe'. The shoe's framework is unique, designed to be flexible and modular, made from bio-based materials harvested from one polycultural field.

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

Katie-May Boyd and Caroline Jacob are CMF Strategists at Seymourpowell.

Sustainability
Web Design
Technology
Digital Sustainability
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Surfing the web isn’t just bad for your brain – It’s terrible for the environment

How can consumers, designers, and companies can create a better Internet?

Katie-May Boyd & Caroline Jacob
7 min read

Online activity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Accelerated by the pandemic, nearly 60% of the world’s population is online, compared with only 8% in 2001. Although digital usage and accessibility will continue to rise exponentially, there remains little awareness of the hidden carbon emissions that are produced by our daily scrolling and its damaging impact on our planet.

From the device you use to the cabling infrastructure to cellular towers and data centres, all of these contribute to the energy and electricity that’s required to run the Internet. According to the BBC, carbon emissions generated by the Internet, devices, and systems that support it account for 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all aviation emissions (2.5%).

As designers working with startups and tech giants, we’ve started thinking about the future of the metaverse, the invisible impact of digital carbon, and ways in which we can encourage leaner practices when surfing the web. Because not all online activity is created equal, Internet users and e-commerce companies can actually play a role in minimising digital emission.

How can individuals cut digital carbon?

Corporations are making promises. Google pledges to run on exclusively renewable energy, while Microsoft is running on “manufactured DNA.” As individuals, we can also examine our own daily digital behaviours to move toward creating less carbon.

  • Wi-Fi vs. data: “Using a phone over a mobile network is at least twice as energy-intensive as using it over Wi-Fi,” says Lancaster University’s Mike Hazas. There is arguably no perceivable difference between browsing on Wi-Fi compared to data. We may, however, unknowingly be consuming twice the carbon by scrolling or watching our content over 4G instead of Wi-Fi.
  • If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: The embodied energy consumption of a digital device is huge. Eighty-four percent of the lifecycle carbon emission of the iPhone 13 Max occurs before you open the box. Upgrading devices less often or buying refurbished tech makes a real difference.

  • Image vs. video: Video streaming accounts for more than half of Internet traffic and is much more carbon-intensive than image or text-based content. To put this into context, scrolling on TikTok for one minute uses twice the CO2 of scrolling for one minute on Instagram.

In an even more radical move, individuals could cut out unnecessary digital interaction altogether, following a concept put forward by The Shift Project, a French think tank specialising in digital carbon impact. The Shift Project proposes “Lean ICT,” a transition that combines buying the least powerful equipment possible, changing it as infrequently as possible, and, crucially, reducing unnecessary energy-intensive activities.

By understanding the impact and consequently unpicking the way we use all digital devices, systems, and infrastructure, we can curb our over-consumption of digital content and move toward more conscious digital behaviour.

How can designers create a more sustainable internet?

Although individuals can make a difference, UX designers, software developers, and marketing teams have a key responsibility to play in minimising Internet energy use. Sustainable coding and self-sufficient Internet (websites that are locally stored and/or solar powered) are slowly making their way in, through more efficient and simplified online content.

Designers and decision makers must encourage digital sobriety and cut down energy-draining features, while ensuring digital interfaces don’t become less attractive.

Video and imagery take up most data bandwidth. By eliminating images or making them much smaller, we can reduce the size of a page and lower the energy spend. Visuals, however, are a key feature in the digital world. In an online space that’s flooded with content, we gravitate toward compelling videos and images–think about your use of on-demand entertainment services, online retail, and social media platforms. Equally, we like to consume content quickly–given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to watch something rather than read it? Videos and images provide an immediacy that text simply can’t compete with.

The Low-Tech Magazine‘s solar-powered site takes an interesting approach: By dithering all of their images (an image-compression technique popular in the 1990), they are transformed into pixelated black and white with a full-color bleed over the top, making them 10 times less resource-intensive.

Color can also make a difference; Dutch clothing brand Organic Basics‘ low impact website has minimized the power consumption across all aspects of the website, including carefully selecting muted colors such as grey, green, and cream. These tones emit less light on the LEDs of our device screens, thus using less energy.

What’s the role for brands?

Organisations and tech giants will also have to work to make online products and services more environmentally friendly. Beyond energy wastage, this can be an opportunity to make the Internet more purposeful. Ads, for instance, take up a large proportion of a web page and, in addition to the carbon implications, contribute to visual pollution, impairing the overall customer experience. Would a world without ads be possible and, if so, what would that look like?

The European site for USA Today removed all of its tracking scripts and ads to be compliant with GDPR legislation in the European Union. This immediately shrank the site from 5 megabytes to 500 kilobytes. It still looks the same - there are just no ads. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine this becoming more widespread, given that ads pay for most of the Internet. There would need to be a colossal shift of business models to start discussing wide-spread adoption of ad-free sites.

Tech companies could also help their users better understand the problem. At the moment, our digital carbon usage is invisible and notoriously hard to work out. Can brands and designers make it easier for people to measure their carbon footprint? Instead of the “daily time limit” on social media sites, perhaps there could be a “daily carbon limit” that notifies you once you clock up a certain level of emissions. There are currently a small number of carbon-tracker browser extensions, such as Carbonalyser, which track and visualise your real-time usage. The next step would be optimising this for mobile usage and setting daily targets.

Governments also have a huge role to play, and there are noticeable failings in current legislation.

For instance, during the recent COP26 climate summit, there was a real focus on how digital technologies could enable routes to tackle climate change. Conversely, we couldn’t find any acknowledgment of the carbon impact around digital usage.

Moving forward

As we wake up to the carbon impact of digital tech and services, how will our behavior change? Near term, we’ll hopefully see an increasing number of businesses reduce their digital emissions through optimization and lean practices. Further on, as we move toward digital sobriety, we could see behaviors that once felt commonplace–like double-screening Netflix or scrolling through TikTok–as wasteful. Could video that’s deemed unnecessary one day feel like a waste of resources? In 2030, will a three-minute video of a cat “playing” the piano on YouTube be the equivalent of the demonized single-use plastic bag?

Katie-May Boyd and Caroline Jacob are CMF Strategists at Seymourpowell.

Sustainability
Web Design
Technology
Digital Sustainability
arrow icon
Return to LAB

Surfing the web isn’t just bad for your brain – It’s terrible for the environment

How can consumers, designers, and companies can create a better Internet?

Katie-May Boyd & Caroline Jacob
7 min read
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Online activity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Accelerated by the pandemic, nearly 60% of the world’s population is online, compared with only 8% in 2001. Although digital usage and accessibility will continue to rise exponentially, there remains little awareness of the hidden carbon emissions that are produced by our daily scrolling and its damaging impact on our planet.

From the device you use to the cabling infrastructure to cellular towers and data centres, all of these contribute to the energy and electricity that’s required to run the Internet. According to the BBC, carbon emissions generated by the Internet, devices, and systems that support it account for 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all aviation emissions (2.5%).

As designers working with startups and tech giants, we’ve started thinking about the future of the metaverse, the invisible impact of digital carbon, and ways in which we can encourage leaner practices when surfing the web. Because not all online activity is created equal, Internet users and e-commerce companies can actually play a role in minimising digital emission.

How can individuals cut digital carbon?

Corporations are making promises. Google pledges to run on exclusively renewable energy, while Microsoft is running on “manufactured DNA.” As individuals, we can also examine our own daily digital behaviours to move toward creating less carbon.

  • Wi-Fi vs. data: “Using a phone over a mobile network is at least twice as energy-intensive as using it over Wi-Fi,” says Lancaster University’s Mike Hazas. There is arguably no perceivable difference between browsing on Wi-Fi compared to data. We may, however, unknowingly be consuming twice the carbon by scrolling or watching our content over 4G instead of Wi-Fi.
  • If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: The embodied energy consumption of a digital device is huge. Eighty-four percent of the lifecycle carbon emission of the iPhone 13 Max occurs before you open the box. Upgrading devices less often or buying refurbished tech makes a real difference.

  • Image vs. video: Video streaming accounts for more than half of Internet traffic and is much more carbon-intensive than image or text-based content. To put this into context, scrolling on TikTok for one minute uses twice the CO2 of scrolling for one minute on Instagram.

In an even more radical move, individuals could cut out unnecessary digital interaction altogether, following a concept put forward by The Shift Project, a French think tank specialising in digital carbon impact. The Shift Project proposes “Lean ICT,” a transition that combines buying the least powerful equipment possible, changing it as infrequently as possible, and, crucially, reducing unnecessary energy-intensive activities.

By understanding the impact and consequently unpicking the way we use all digital devices, systems, and infrastructure, we can curb our over-consumption of digital content and move toward more conscious digital behaviour.

How can designers create a more sustainable internet?

Although individuals can make a difference, UX designers, software developers, and marketing teams have a key responsibility to play in minimising Internet energy use. Sustainable coding and self-sufficient Internet (websites that are locally stored and/or solar powered) are slowly making their way in, through more efficient and simplified online content.

Designers and decision makers must encourage digital sobriety and cut down energy-draining features, while ensuring digital interfaces don’t become less attractive.

Video and imagery take up most data bandwidth. By eliminating images or making them much smaller, we can reduce the size of a page and lower the energy spend. Visuals, however, are a key feature in the digital world. In an online space that’s flooded with content, we gravitate toward compelling videos and images–think about your use of on-demand entertainment services, online retail, and social media platforms. Equally, we like to consume content quickly–given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to watch something rather than read it? Videos and images provide an immediacy that text simply can’t compete with.

The Low-Tech Magazine‘s solar-powered site takes an interesting approach: By dithering all of their images (an image-compression technique popular in the 1990), they are transformed into pixelated black and white with a full-color bleed over the top, making them 10 times less resource-intensive.

Color can also make a difference; Dutch clothing brand Organic Basics‘ low impact website has minimized the power consumption across all aspects of the website, including carefully selecting muted colors such as grey, green, and cream. These tones emit less light on the LEDs of our device screens, thus using less energy.

What’s the role for brands?

Organisations and tech giants will also have to work to make online products and services more environmentally friendly. Beyond energy wastage, this can be an opportunity to make the Internet more purposeful. Ads, for instance, take up a large proportion of a web page and, in addition to the carbon implications, contribute to visual pollution, impairing the overall customer experience. Would a world without ads be possible and, if so, what would that look like?

The European site for USA Today removed all of its tracking scripts and ads to be compliant with GDPR legislation in the European Union. This immediately shrank the site from 5 megabytes to 500 kilobytes. It still looks the same - there are just no ads. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine this becoming more widespread, given that ads pay for most of the Internet. There would need to be a colossal shift of business models to start discussing wide-spread adoption of ad-free sites.

Tech companies could also help their users better understand the problem. At the moment, our digital carbon usage is invisible and notoriously hard to work out. Can brands and designers make it easier for people to measure their carbon footprint? Instead of the “daily time limit” on social media sites, perhaps there could be a “daily carbon limit” that notifies you once you clock up a certain level of emissions. There are currently a small number of carbon-tracker browser extensions, such as Carbonalyser, which track and visualise your real-time usage. The next step would be optimising this for mobile usage and setting daily targets.

Governments also have a huge role to play, and there are noticeable failings in current legislation.

For instance, during the recent COP26 climate summit, there was a real focus on how digital technologies could enable routes to tackle climate change. Conversely, we couldn’t find any acknowledgment of the carbon impact around digital usage.

Moving forward

As we wake up to the carbon impact of digital tech and services, how will our behavior change? Near term, we’ll hopefully see an increasing number of businesses reduce their digital emissions through optimization and lean practices. Further on, as we move toward digital sobriety, we could see behaviors that once felt commonplace–like double-screening Netflix or scrolling through TikTok–as wasteful. Could video that’s deemed unnecessary one day feel like a waste of resources? In 2030, will a three-minute video of a cat “playing” the piano on YouTube be the equivalent of the demonized single-use plastic bag?

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

CES Page 07

Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

CES Page 08

SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

CES Page 09

Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

CES Page 10

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

CES Page 12

Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

CES Page 13

Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

CES Page 14

Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

CES Page 15

Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

CES Page 17

Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

CES Page 18

Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

CES Page 19

Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

CES Page 20

Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

CES Page 22

Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

CES Page 23

Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

CES Page 24

Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

CES Page 25

Katie-May Boyd and Caroline Jacob are CMF Strategists at Seymourpowell.

Sustainability
Web Design
Technology
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Online activity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Accelerated by the pandemic, nearly 60% of the world’s population is online, compared with only 8% in 2001. Although digital usage and accessibility will continue to rise exponentially, there remains little awareness of the hidden carbon emissions that are produced by our daily scrolling and its damaging impact on our planet.

From the device you use to the cabling infrastructure to cellular towers and data centres, all of these contribute to the energy and electricity that’s required to run the Internet. According to the BBC, carbon emissions generated by the Internet, devices, and systems that support it account for 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s more than all aviation emissions (2.5%).

As designers working with startups and tech giants, we’ve started thinking about the future of the metaverse, the invisible impact of digital carbon, and ways in which we can encourage leaner practices when surfing the web. Because not all online activity is created equal, Internet users and e-commerce companies can actually play a role in minimising digital emission.

How can individuals cut digital carbon?

Corporations are making promises. Google pledges to run on exclusively renewable energy, while Microsoft is running on “manufactured DNA.” As individuals, we can also examine our own daily digital behaviours to move toward creating less carbon.

  • Wi-Fi vs. data: “Using a phone over a mobile network is at least twice as energy-intensive as using it over Wi-Fi,” says Lancaster University’s Mike Hazas. There is arguably no perceivable difference between browsing on Wi-Fi compared to data. We may, however, unknowingly be consuming twice the carbon by scrolling or watching our content over 4G instead of Wi-Fi.
  • If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: The embodied energy consumption of a digital device is huge. Eighty-four percent of the lifecycle carbon emission of the iPhone 13 Max occurs before you open the box. Upgrading devices less often or buying refurbished tech makes a real difference.

  • Image vs. video: Video streaming accounts for more than half of Internet traffic and is much more carbon-intensive than image or text-based content. To put this into context, scrolling on TikTok for one minute uses twice the CO2 of scrolling for one minute on Instagram.

In an even more radical move, individuals could cut out unnecessary digital interaction altogether, following a concept put forward by The Shift Project, a French think tank specialising in digital carbon impact. The Shift Project proposes “Lean ICT,” a transition that combines buying the least powerful equipment possible, changing it as infrequently as possible, and, crucially, reducing unnecessary energy-intensive activities.

By understanding the impact and consequently unpicking the way we use all digital devices, systems, and infrastructure, we can curb our over-consumption of digital content and move toward more conscious digital behaviour.

How can designers create a more sustainable internet?

Although individuals can make a difference, UX designers, software developers, and marketing teams have a key responsibility to play in minimising Internet energy use. Sustainable coding and self-sufficient Internet (websites that are locally stored and/or solar powered) are slowly making their way in, through more efficient and simplified online content.

Designers and decision makers must encourage digital sobriety and cut down energy-draining features, while ensuring digital interfaces don’t become less attractive.

Video and imagery take up most data bandwidth. By eliminating images or making them much smaller, we can reduce the size of a page and lower the energy spend. Visuals, however, are a key feature in the digital world. In an online space that’s flooded with content, we gravitate toward compelling videos and images–think about your use of on-demand entertainment services, online retail, and social media platforms. Equally, we like to consume content quickly–given the choice, wouldn’t you prefer to watch something rather than read it? Videos and images provide an immediacy that text simply can’t compete with.

The Low-Tech Magazine‘s solar-powered site takes an interesting approach: By dithering all of their images (an image-compression technique popular in the 1990), they are transformed into pixelated black and white with a full-color bleed over the top, making them 10 times less resource-intensive.

Color can also make a difference; Dutch clothing brand Organic Basics‘ low impact website has minimized the power consumption across all aspects of the website, including carefully selecting muted colors such as grey, green, and cream. These tones emit less light on the LEDs of our device screens, thus using less energy.

What’s the role for brands?

Organisations and tech giants will also have to work to make online products and services more environmentally friendly. Beyond energy wastage, this can be an opportunity to make the Internet more purposeful. Ads, for instance, take up a large proportion of a web page and, in addition to the carbon implications, contribute to visual pollution, impairing the overall customer experience. Would a world without ads be possible and, if so, what would that look like?

The European site for USA Today removed all of its tracking scripts and ads to be compliant with GDPR legislation in the European Union. This immediately shrank the site from 5 megabytes to 500 kilobytes. It still looks the same - there are just no ads. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine this becoming more widespread, given that ads pay for most of the Internet. There would need to be a colossal shift of business models to start discussing wide-spread adoption of ad-free sites.

Tech companies could also help their users better understand the problem. At the moment, our digital carbon usage is invisible and notoriously hard to work out. Can brands and designers make it easier for people to measure their carbon footprint? Instead of the “daily time limit” on social media sites, perhaps there could be a “daily carbon limit” that notifies you once you clock up a certain level of emissions. There are currently a small number of carbon-tracker browser extensions, such as Carbonalyser, which track and visualise your real-time usage. The next step would be optimising this for mobile usage and setting daily targets.

Governments also have a huge role to play, and there are noticeable failings in current legislation.

For instance, during the recent COP26 climate summit, there was a real focus on how digital technologies could enable routes to tackle climate change. Conversely, we couldn’t find any acknowledgment of the carbon impact around digital usage.

Moving forward

As we wake up to the carbon impact of digital tech and services, how will our behavior change? Near term, we’ll hopefully see an increasing number of businesses reduce their digital emissions through optimization and lean practices. Further on, as we move toward digital sobriety, we could see behaviors that once felt commonplace–like double-screening Netflix or scrolling through TikTok–as wasteful. Could video that’s deemed unnecessary one day feel like a waste of resources? In 2030, will a three-minute video of a cat “playing” the piano on YouTube be the equivalent of the demonized single-use plastic bag?

Indicators
Nowhere
Combatting Inequity

A Metaverse meet-up platform has been designed to combat social inequalities which exist on other Web 3.0 platforms. Nowhere developers have designed the platform to remove barriers to access: you don't need an NFT or crypto wallet to join, thus reducing financial and technical requirements. The 3D voice chat feature increases the volume of a user's voice as they move closer to you, making contact more authentic and frictionless.

CES Page 07

Soul Machines
The 'Digital Workforce'

Soul Machines is a personalized, AI-based simulation service with a Human OS platform. It features a patented 'Digital Brain' which helps deliver human and machine collaboration. It's designed to democratise the service industry, with digital 'people' placed in the WHO and New Zealand police.

CES Page 08

SenseGlovel
Meta Touch

Wireless gloves from Dutch start-up, SenseGlove, let users feel the size, weight, texture and density of virtual objects when worn with VR headsets.

CES Page 09

Institute of Digital Fashion
Avatar Representation

Research by Institute of Digital Fashion shows that people want more choices for diverse representation in online spaces. There are clear demands from consumers for: better accommodations (including text to accompany audio) and avatar customisation which takes into account bodily differences.

CES Page 10

Indicators
Miele
Tech Repair

At the Salone del Mobile 2022, Miele's 'Longevity Lab' used an exploded installation to communicate the brand's inherited value around longevity. The brand celebrated their policy of keeping spare parts available for fifteen years after a home appliance is discontinued, encouraging everyone to care for and repair their home equipment.

CES Page 12

Yamaha x ECAL
Reimagined Touchpoints

In a project with ECAL, Yamaha proposes an alternative approach to physical interaction with sound-play devices. Incorporating AI, live-streamed performances and ASMR, the students designed six new music players and accessories which offer a novel music listening experience, as well as physical appeal.

CES Page 13

Paul Coenen
Mono Material

Paul Coenen folds a single sheet of steel to create furniture which is designed to be passed from generation to generation. The mono-material furniture and homeware collection offers superior durability through the use of stainless steel without the need for added coatings, adhesives or fasteners.

CES Page 14

Disruptive Berlin
Anti-impulsive Consumerism

Disruptive Berlin offers its community an alternative lifestyle and perspective when it comes to consumerism. With an exclusive password-protected shopping area on their site and Instagram channel, they encourage consumers to question their potentially 'impulsive' decisions before buying new/ second-hand clothing.

CES Page 15

Indicators
Bethany Williams
Stronger Together

Bethany Williams is building a practice that seeks to challenge the traditional fashion industry. From garments made from recycled book waste to collaborations with community projects, her work tackles social and environmental issues.

CES Page 17

Yinka Ilori
Bright Spaces

Yinka Ilori opens his first a pop up retail store in Shoreditch. Featuring his signature colourful, bright motifs, the space is inspired by West African architecture and features his homeware products. The aim of the space is to explore how we can help customers connect, experience and discover.

CES Page 18

Brothers Fearon Fabrication
Playful Furniture

Australian studio Brothers Fearon Fabrication creates funky and tactile aluminium furniture pieces, some with whimsical character faces, showcasing pure fun and enjoyment.

CES Page 19

Modibodi
Menstruation for All

Modibodi's new All Gender Collection brings non-binary and transgender men into the conversation around menstruation. The campaign brings inclusive design to the forefront, through the LGBTQ+IA colour palette, and accessible design for all body types and genders.

CES Page 20

Indicators
Jonathan Bocca
Curious Forms

Jonathan Bocca uses everyday materials (like paper) to craft strange animal-esque objects. Bridging the gap between sculpture and furniture, his otherworldly pieces take on a personality of their own, pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

CES Page 22

Strange Clay
Expect the Unexpected

Full of weird and wonderful delights, the Strange Clay Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery illustrates the tactile, sensual medium of clay and its endless possibilities: from fantastical creatures and uncanny representations of the everyday to expending the perception of ceramic objects.

CES Page 23

Dopamine Land
Dopamine Land

A multi-sensory experience which combines media, technology and play, all in one place. It's an interactive museum which channels the limitless imagination of your inner child into reality.

CES Page 24

Ka! Empathogenics
Edible Trips

Ka! Empathogenics are chews which are designed to help users handle moments of stress. It's the first ever natural empathogenic supplement, containing botanicals like Kanna, a South African psychoactive herb, which helps to boost energy, focus and creativity.

CES Page 25

Katie-May Boyd and Caroline Jacob are CMF Strategists at Seymourpowell.

Sustainability
Web Design
Technology