Digital decluttering: the impact of (video) data storage on the environment and how to tackle a digital cleanup session

We now know that data storage costs energy. But less is known about the impact of digital storage and sending data (transmissions) on the environment. And just if we were a bit more aware of this, the motivation to make a change could grow. By being selective with what we store, consistently cleaning up our digital space, and not keeping unnecessary data, we can make a real difference. Something that Scribit.Pro is happy to contribute to. We not only want to work towards an accessible future but also a clean future.

Worldwide data consumption leads to huge energy usage, often unnoticed. That is not without consequences, which is why we need to examine our digital consumption from time to time. A world without digital support and entertainment tools is unthinkable, and their use will only increase in the future. Due to the convenience that these services offer, we almost forget that this communication, via emails, messaging apps, and video conferences, consumes vast amounts of data. In addition, we have new energy-intensive forms of smart devices and streaming services. And all the photos, videos, and documents you produce also continuously need digital storage space. In short: we all consume energy, all day long, often without realizing it.

Every digital action costs energy. Every text message (0.1 MB per message), every downloaded meme, every bit of scrolling on your socials; everything contributes to the environmental burden to varying degrees. Using a mobile phone has become second nature. And because the consequences do not have a direct effect on us and are not clearly visible, we have become a bit lax in how we handle our data usage.

All (video) data we consume is stored in data centres. Large, futuristic buildings filled with servers, computers, and cooling systems that consume gigantic amounts of energy and emit CO2, thus being quite polluting. These data centres currently account for 2 percent of global CO2 emissions. And that's a shame because, according to experts, a staggering 80 to 90 percent of these files are no longer viewed or used after two months. There is room for improvement here.

Old papers pile up and eventually end up in the paper bin, but we leave this digital waste right where it is.

What about green energy? Even if the data centres run on alternative energy, fossil fuels are still being wasted. Because if the wind doesn’t blow, the wind turbines don’t turn, and electricity comes from gas or coal. The ecological consequences of this are significant. So, it's in everyone's interest to use our energy consumption and data storage more consciously and efficiently.

How can your company minimize its digital footprint?

Cleaning up files may not be the most exciting task. But if you make it a habit, a tidying session takes less time, and your (online) folders look organized and fresh: a Marie Kondo session in your digital living room or office. Ask questions such as: what are we actually doing with our stored data? What do you consider as active data? What can be archived, and how necessary is that?

A few practical tips for digital decluttering:

• include digital sustainability from the start in your storage hygiene
• deduplication: remove all your duplicate files
• delete completed email conversations, if possible
• only send emails that are truly necessary (so no emails with just 'okay', 'thanks' or a thumbs-up emoticon)
• delete non-final versions of a project after completion
• discard unnecessary archive material
• reduce storage capacity by compressing large files
• send as few MBs over the internet as possible

What Scribit.Pro does to reduce and prevent digital waste

Scribit.Pro does not use unnecessarily large files for sending or storing data. This applies to all types of data, including the video files we work with. We encourage others to do the same. We ask our partners, clients and employees to use as few messaging apps megabytes as possible. For example, we ask them to send links instead of large digital files. We also implement an active cleanup policy for inactive accounts on our platform. With these measures, we try to limit our storage capacity. In this way, Scribit.Pro contributes its digital bit.