As eco-responsibility gains traction in consumer expectations, even the smallest businesses and self-employed individuals can play a significant role. Here are practical tips to minimize your digital footprint without sacrificing work efficiency.
Extend the Life of Your IT Equipment
Frequent equipment replacement is a major source of electronic waste. Regular maintenance and updates can extend the life of your devices, which is both economical and eco-friendly. If you need new equipment, consider refurbished devices or donate your old ones to organizations that repurpose them. For end-of-life electronics that can’t be refurbished, take them to a recycling center instead of throwing them in the trash.
Opt for Remote Work, But… Don’t Overuse Video Conferencing
Remote work not only reduces commuting but also decreases the use of physical office space, thus lowering energy costs and your business’s carbon footprint. However, video conferencing, while convenient, also has an environmental cost. Before scheduling a video meeting, ask yourself if the discussion could happen over the phone. Otherwise, Université Laval highlights that lowering video resolution can help reduce the environmental impact.
Smart Email Management
Managing emails may seem trivial, but it also has an impact. Unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters and limiting superfluous replies like “Got it” or avoiding the “Reply All” function helps reduce the necessary storage space, which indirectly lowers CO2 emissions associated with data storage. Additionally, using services like WeTransfer for large files helps reduce the environmental impact of data transfers.
Get the Right Tools
It is advised to fully understand your IT needs and those of your employees to avoid purchasing more powerful, and therefore more energy-consuming, models than necessary.
Document Printing
More and more organizations are opting for “paperless” solutions and using only digital files. If you still need to print documents, set your printer to print double-sided and use black and white as the default. You can also choose paper with a very high recycled fiber content.
Involve Your Team
Share your vision and goals with your team and suppliers. You can develop a responsible purchasing and reuse policy for IT equipment, which will serve as a guide for best practices.
Adopt Sustainable Daily Practices
Among the actions that can be taken daily to reduce your digital environmental impact, think about closing inactive tabs on your workstation, turning off your computer instead of putting it in sleep mode, and avoiding streaming videos. If you do stream, opt for low resolution.
Another good practice is to listen to downloaded music on your device or on audio platforms rather than YouTube, which also streams video. These habits reduce data consumption and, thus, environmental impact.
Although simple, these actions can significantly reduce your company’s digital footprint. By adopting these practices, you not only contribute to environmental protection but also enhance your company’s image with a client base that is increasingly aware of ecological issues.
Go Further
Want to make your business even more eco-friendly and need help? Contact our team of business advisors. They can help you find the resources to carry out your project.
Article Sources:
- SADC de Nicolet-Bécancour: Écoresponsabilité numérique ou l’écologie du numérique
- Université Laval: Réduire son empreinte numérique au quotidien
- Podcast Moteur de recherche
- Government of Quebec: Pratiques écoresponsables recommandées en technologies de l’information et des communications