Why collaboration is key to Digital Sustainability
In a world where sustainability is no longer just an option but a necessity, tackling the challenge of carbon reduction demands more than individual efforts—it requires a collective movement.
At Digital Carbon Online we’re on a journey, as part of a bigger, gnarlier mission to help humanity avoid sleep-walking into another “if only we’d acted sooner” moment.
We aim to help educate businesses, organisations, and individuals worldwide on the environmental impact of our digital technologies, and provide simple, yet effective ways to help manage and reduce their digital carbon footprints.
The mission “for a more sustainable digital future” is what Simon Sinek might call an “infinite game”—a pursuit with no clear endpoint, but one that is critical for the health of our planet.
Big Hairy Goal: Reducing the environmental impact of digital technologies
Think of the internet as a vast city that never sleeps. Every website, every email, every video streamed carries an environmental cost.
In fact, the digital world contributes to roughly 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions — a figure on par with the aviation industry.
This percentage is expected to double by 2025 as our digital dependence grows, especially with the boom in artificial intelligence.
A single email with a large attachment can generate up to 50 grams of CO2, and streaming video, particularly in high definition, has an even greater impact—one hour of streaming can emit as much as 36-100 grams of CO2 depending on the device and network.
The global data centres that power the internet alone are responsible for about 1% of the world’s electricity consumption, and this is increasing steadily with the demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence, and 5G infrastructure.
We can’t do it alone
This is not a goal with a defined finish line. There will always be more to do, more innovations to implement, and more people to educate. It’s an infinite game, where the objective is not to “win” but to keep playing, continuously striving toward a more sustainable digital future.
An African proverb beautifully captures the essence of the mission:
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Reducing the digital carbon footprint of the internet is not something that any single individual or organisation can achieve in isolation.
As with the climate crisis at large, the complexity and scale of the challenge requires collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility. One business may optimise its servers, another may revolutionise the energy efficiency of data centres, while others focus on user education. But only together can we create a system-wide impact that moves the needle.
Introducing our partner network
At Digital Carbon Online, we recognise the power of collective action. That’s why we’ve built an extensive network of partners who share our vision for a greener digital world.
Whether you’re a small business starting your sustainability journey or a large enterprise looking to optimise your entire digital infrastructure, our partners bring the expertise, tools, and strategies to help you reduce your carbon footprint and make meaningful progress toward a more sustainable digital future.
Our partners are leaders in everything from green hosting solutions to eco-friendly marketing, sustainability consultants and low-carbon web design and brand agencies. They stand ready to support anyone serious about reducing their digital carbon footprint, offering guidance, solutions, and collaboration at every step of the way.
Collaboration is more fulfilling—and more fun!
There’s another reason why collaboration is essential to achieving our mission: it’s more fulfilling and fun! Working together toward a common purpose creates a sense of shared achievement, innovation, and excitement. By tapping into a community of like-minded partners, you don’t just reduce your carbon emissions; you also become part of something much larger—a global movement toward sustainability.
In fact, studies have shown that teams who collaborate are not only more innovative and productive but also more engaged and happier in their work. A Stanford study found that people who work in groups stay engaged 64% longer than those working alone.
Join our mission
The mission to reduce the digital carbon footprint is our big hairy goal, and it will require all of us—partners, businesses, and individuals alike—to make it happen. As Simon Sinek puts it, the goal in an infinite game is not to “win” but to keep playing, to stay committed, and to keep moving forward toward a future that’s better for all of us.
At Digital Carbon Online, we’re committed to this journey, and we invite you to join us. Whether through collaboration with our partners or by making changes in your own organization, you can make a difference. The stakes are high, but so are the rewards, and with collective action, we can make the internet—and the world—a more sustainable place.
Are you ready to help build a more sustainable digital future? Find out how to join the mission…