Sustainability is no longer simply a buzzword; it is a way of life that the entire globe must adopt to combat climate change. It refers to adopting climate friendly practices, such as changing how we communicate with the world around us, reducing our dependence on conventional energy sources, and changing how we purchase or commute. Businesses rely heavily on their IT infrastructures and technology, which continues to be a substantial source of air and water pollution; as a result, it is incumbent on them to maintain ethical practices that have a minimal environmental impact.
Technology that has been built particularly to alleviate ecological difficulties, as well as technology that can be manufactured, utilised, and disposed of in a sustainable manner, is referred to as sustainable technology. It can also be defined as a way of building a technology in such a way that it reduces environmental and social impact at every stage of its production from raw material extraction to disposal or end of its lifecycle.
What really makes technology sustainable? For one, power efficiency that directs towards innovating such technology that lowers power consumption while minimising power loss. Low carbon products backed by the removal of hazardous substances from products, helps to reduce the manufacturing footprint. It also helps in extending a product's lifetime and reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing the product. An ideal sustainable technology can also be integrated with other green applications like LED lighting, solar panels to control emission of pollutants. Human welfare also remains to be a crucial element of sustainable innovation, that promises everyone a safe and healthier life. They can be used in various sectors like health and medicine, security and the transfer of information.
Let’s look at some ways in which we can consume or use technology more sustainably:
Repair your technology instead of opting for a new one.
Buy second hand or refurbished technology.
Businesses can relocate their servers to colder climates for 8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Cloud technology uses fewer machines and hardware that uses less energy has a lower impact on the environment while saving a lot of infrastructural costs for the business.
Dematerialization refers to the replacement of high-carbon physical products with virtual equivalents. This reduces carbon footprint and energy usage.
Opt for technology that makes efficient use of energy and water resources. Using appliances with good energy ratings helps to save a lot of energy throughout the life of the product while it’s in use, and helps you to save money. Some appliances like washing machines or dishwashers should list the amount of water it uses.
Ethical sourcing of raw material also adds a factor of sustainability to the technology, which includes not only eco friendly raw materials but also keeps a check of ethical work practices under proper policies during the manufacturing process.
Technology linked with long-term solutions is a powerful instrument for achieving an environmentally responsible future. We can take advantage of the strengths that technology gives while also being more responsible in how we use it so that it causes the least amount of environmental damage possible.