I know, I know! Earth Day has already passed and I should've asked this last week. I only realised after I'd posted last week's discussion post that this topic would have been very relevant to that day. Still, this is worth talking about!
I'll be mainly focusing on webdev, but this could apply to any programming field.
How our decisions could impact the environment
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the internet accounts for almost 4% of global emissions. Here's a handy infographic if you'd to know a more!
It's the reason why big companies are starting to opt for green energy. Think of Google running 100% on renewable energy for several years now. It even has a site dedicated to sustainability! By using Google's services, you're essentially running your stuff on green energy.
Then, we've got the other side of the hill, like the NFT craze that's still lingering. One of the major arguments against NFT was its environmental impact due to the computing power required for each transaction. Even the creator of NFT talks about it. But right now, the technical solutions to reduce all that computing power are out there.
That's how we can make a difference. 🌱
Now, I don't want to go in-depth about this topic. This isn't an article to inform you all of it. Giving some examples might give some clarity on where I'm going with this. I mainly want to hear from others what they think they could do about it!
✍ Comment below answering the following questions
- Do you think your development process can benefit or harm nature, even if in a small way? If so, how?
- Is environmental impact part of your decision-making process when choosing between products for development? (e.g. hosting)
- After reading this short post, do you feel climate change should cross your mind more often in your problem-solving process?
Top comments (2)
I think there's a good chance that there isn't enough entrepreneurial efforts in the Greentech space.
But I also know you have to tread carefully, because a profit model ultimately subverts a lot of the good intentions or potential of many of these companies.
I've been wanting to look more into these opportunities... 🤔
For certain, we all know that most entrepreneurs and investors ultimately don't care about this.
Still, there are some legitimately well-intended ones. Take Ecosia for example. One of my favourite youtubers has digged into Ecosia before and it proved itself to be legit.
Just a tiny example of what we could do, if not making our own things that help the planet. I do wish there was more out there, though. I definitely agree with that.