Welcome to the fourth edition of the Jisc Digital Sustainability Newsletter! Each month we delve into the latest news, trends, and insights at the intersection of technology and environmental sustainability.
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our DIGITAL-SUSTAINABILITY JiscMail mailing list to be notified about the release of future editions of the Digital Sustainability Newsletter.
Digital Sustainability at Jisc:
It has been an exciting month at Jisc, filled with opportunities to provide our members with valuable advice on digital sustainability. Here are just a few of the things we have been working on since the last edition of the newsletter:
Jisc Report: Digital sustainability in tertiary education: trends, challenges, and sector insights
This month we were proud to release the comprehensive report ‘Digital Sustainability in Tertiary Education: Trends, Challenges, and Sector Insights.’ The report explores the complexities of implementing optimal digital sustainability best practices in UK higher and further education. It examines the environmental impact of digital technologies and explores how institutions can balance technological advancements with ecological responsibility. You can read it in full here.
Commentaries on the report have also featured in several other publications, including FE News and UK Authority.
Launch of the Jisc FE and Skills Digital Sustainability Working Group
Last month saw the launch of the Jisc FE and Skills Digital Sustainability Working Group. Meeting online every two months, the group aims to share knowledge, exchange insights, and collectively address the challenges related to the sustainable use of digital resources within the FE and Skills sectors.
The first working group meeting was well attended and offered an excellent opportunity to set the stage and encourage group members to consider how small changes in our digital activities can lead to significant positive environmental impacts.
If you work in the FE or Skills sectors and are interested in joining the Digital Sustainability Working Group, please fill out this form and we will inform you of the date for the next free online session.
Networkshop 2024
This year’s Networkshop 2024 is being held at Nottingham Trent University on 18th and 19th June and online on the 20th June. The event brings together IT experts and decision makers to explore innovations and optimisations in network infrastructure.
Join a world-class community of IT experts and decision-makers as we come together to explore innovating, optimising and securing network infrastructure now and into the future. The agenda features a technical session from Jisc’s Cal Innes on Digital Environmental Sustainability and a presentation on Measuring Carbon from Alex Owen and John Hayes from Queen Mary University London.
You can book your tickets for the event here.
New Quick Guide on How to Reduce the Environmental Impact of PowerPoint’s Version History
Chris Thompson, Programme Lead for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment from Jisc’s Advice Team, has published a fantastic article entitled “Is Your PowerPoint’s Version History Contributing to Climate Change?” This quick guide provides some easily implemented tips for Microsoft 365 users, particularly those using PowerPoint, on how to significantly reduce their cloud data storage and carbon footprint by deleting unnecessary version histories of documents in OneDrive.
Latest News:
Here’s a roundup of some of the interesting digital sustainability news and developments from the last month across the UK and beyond. Click on the headline to find out more.
Edinburgh University to Utilise Heat from Servers to Keep University Students Warm
Edinburgh University is launching a green initiative to use excess heat from server rooms to warm buildings, funded by a £2.1M grant from the Scottish government. This project aims to reduce heating costs by about 8% and cut greenhouse gas emissions, with plans to replicate the system across the university’s estate.
Challenges Lie Ahead for Energy Grids as AI Demands Soar
Data centres are facing increasing scrutiny for their soaring energy demands as AI technology drives a six-fold rise in electricity consumption. With a shift toward more energy-efficient hardware like Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell chips, concerns over the environmental impact of artificial intelligence persist, spurring efforts to harness waste heat and prioritise renewable energy sources.
African Great Apes Threatened by Surge in Mining for Renewable Energy Minerals
A study reveals that up to a third of Africa’s great apes are under threat due to a surge in mining for minerals crucial for renewable energy technologies. The boom in demand for minerals like copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt is endangering the habitats of gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees, with researchers urging a balance between renewable energy goals and biodiversity conservation.
Resource Corner:
Each month we share a digital sustainability resource which we hope you might find useful.
This month, we’d like to highlight MightyBytes’ Digital Greenwashing Guide. Authored by Tim Frick, this is a great resource for individuals and organisations who want navigate the complexities of digital sustainability and reduce the risk of spreading or falling foul of misinformation.
The Guide urges organisations to be transparent, educate and inform and understand the many nuances around digital sustainability.
To understand how to avoid digital greenwashing in your organisation, you can access the full guide here.
Member Highlights:
In our monthly member highlights, we turn the green spotlight onto one of Jisc’s members in FE and HE who are implementing noteworthy digital sustainability initiatives.
This month, we would like to share The University of Exeter’s pioneering project, ‘Sustainable ICTs in the Digitised University,’ led by Dr. Alexander R. E. Taylor, a Senior Lecturer in Communications. This British Academy-funded project is at the forefront of addressing the environmental impact of IT infrastructure within higher education institutions.
The Sustainable ICTs project seeks to illuminate the hidden environmental costs of key educational technology providers like Canvas, Moodle, and Turnitin. It highlights the need for universities to consider the extended carbon footprint of their IT operations, including emissions from third-party EdTech services often omitted from current sustainability calculations.
In today’s universities, digital technologies are integral to the delivery of education and administrative services. Virtual learning environments, videoconferencing platforms like Zoom and Teams, and various online tools form the backbone of modern university operations. However, these technologies, often imagined as weightless and ‘virtual,’ have substantial material infrastructure and associated carbon emissions.
“Digital tools are important for building a low-carbon academy,” Dr. Taylor notes, “but their environmental impacts must be uncovered if we are to achieve a truly green economy. This project will provide resources to help universities and other organisations manage the environmental impact of their digital provisions more effectively.”
More information on the University of Exter’s Sustainable ICTs project can be found here.
Digital Sustainability Articles:
Here are a selection of our favourite articles on digital sustainability from the last month:
Tools for Sustainability in Cloud Computing
Anna Ivchenko’s Hot Topics article underscores the pivotal role of cloud computing in environmental sustainability, highlighting how major providers like Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure are aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 through renewable energy use, energy-efficient infrastructure, and sustainable software practices. The article also reviews tools from these providers, such as emissions calculators and dashboards, that help organisations monitor and reduce their carbon footprints.
Tips to Reduce Your Digital Carbon Impact
Victoria Fenn Alvarado’s article for The Weather Network features Drew Minns of Really Good Work discussing how to optimise phone, computer, and browser performance through energy-saving practices. Some of the techniques mentioned are initiatives like resizing images, using built-in computer fonts, opting for darker themes, and employing smartphone settings to limit data usage and app refreshes.
AI’s Massive Appetite for Energy Will Make or Break Climate Change Goals
Dylan Sloan discusses the substantial energy demands of AI and its implications for climate-change goals, highlighting Microsoft’s $10 billion renewable energy deal as an example of tech companies attempting to balance their emissions amidst rising power needs.
In a comprehensive analysis for Grist, Maddie Stone sheds light on the untapped potential of electronic waste as a reservoir of critical metals crucial for the clean energy transition. The report underscores the urgent need for improved recycling policies and technologies to harness the vast quantities of recyclable metals, such as copper and aluminium, while addressing the challenges in recovering rare metals essential for climate-friendly technologies.
Technology and Taking Steps Toward a Zero Carbon Economy
Writing for Digital Leaders, Kin + Carta’s Senior Strategist Bella Copeland takes a look at how organisations can implement sustainable digital transformation.
How Much Energy are Your Apps Consuming and What Can You Do About It?
This Green for the Win article explores how energy-intensive the apps we regularly use are and provides tips on how to measure power usage across various operating systems. It delves into the complexities of accurately assessing energy consumption in cloud-based applications and highlights various tools available for estimation and management.
Writing for ACM, Alex Williams examines how green computing strategies, including energy-efficient software, server virtualisation, and cloud computing, can significantly reduce the IT sector’s environmental impact and power consumption. The article also discusses the importance of addressing e-waste through reduction, recycling, and reuse practices.
Member Highlights:
In our monthly member highlights, we turn the green spotlight onto one of Jisc’s members in FE and HE who are implementing noteworthy digital sustainability initiatives.
This month, we would like to share The University of Exeter’s pioneering project, “Sustainable ICTs in the Digitised University,” led by Dr. Alexander R. E. Taylor, a Senior Lecturer in Communications. This British Academy-funded project is at the forefront of addressing the environmental impact of IT infrastructure within higher education institutions.
The Sustainable ICTs project seeks to illuminate the hidden environmental costs of key educational technology providers like Canvas, Moodle, and Turnitin. It highlights the need for universities to consider the extended carbon footprint of their IT operations, including emissions from third-party EdTech services often omitted from current sustainability calculations.
In today’s universities, digital technologies are integral to the delivery of education and administrative services. Virtual learning environments, videoconferencing platforms like Zoom and Teams, and various online tools form the backbone of modern university operations. However, these technologies, often imagined as weightless and ‘virtual,’ have substantial material infrastructure and associated carbon emissions.
“Digital tools are important for building a low-carbon academy,” Dr. Taylor notes, “but their environmental impacts must be uncovered if we are to achieve a truly green economy. This project will provide resources to help universities and other organisations manage the environmental impact of their digital provisions more effectively.”
More information on the University of Exter’s Sustainable ICTs project can be found here.
If you have a success story, project milestone, or accomplishment related to digital sustainability, we want to hear about it!
Get Involved:
We want to hear from you! Share your comments, suggestions, and digital sustainability highlights. Contact our Subject Specialist for Sustainability, Cal Innes, at cal.innes@jisc.ac.uk.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our DIGITAL-SUSTAINABILITY JiscMail mailing list for future editions of the Digital Sustainability Newsletter.
