Save the 🌎 : Delete your Stuff!
A simple way to reduce your carbon footprint for Earth Day
Earth Day is today. As expected, there has been loads of discussion today about the sustainability of AI.
As overwhelming as all the hype around AI technologies can be, one upside of AI being in the spotlight is it’s drawing attention to the fact that even pre-AI, a lot of cloud computing companies have really not been transparent about the amount of power and natural resources go into their operations. Unlike plastics in the ocean or litter next to roads, the impact digital technologies have on the earth are largely invisible to most users.
But every file you create, whether you use AI or not, requires energy to keep it around. That’s why one of the simplest things you can do to help the planet on Earth Day is delete your stuff.
Got emails from your school days? Delete them.
Got blurry photos from that time you decided putting a unicorn horn on your cat was a good idea? Delete them.
Got slides from a talk you didn’t even like at a conference you went to over a decade ago? Delete them.
Got code projects you haven’t looked at since Python 1.0 was a thing? Delete them.
Got automated reports from a project that doesn’t exist any more? Delete the reports and then delete the requests that keep sending them to you.
You can even start in Wagtail if you want to. Bulk delete all your old drafts. Get rid of any unused photos. Use the aging pages report to identify pages that are past their prime.
Let's be clear about one thing. I don't expect individuals to save us from global warming through deleting their old files. We definitely need additional regulations on industry. We need more transparency around the amount of carbon emissions that data centers and other tech infrastructure contribute.
Today though, I just wanted to give you one thing you can do right now because honestly the world feels like it's so out of control at times. Deleting your stuff is one thing that is in your control. You can do it today. You can do it any day. You can do it anytime you like.
Reducing digital clutter might not feel as satisfying as cleaning up a park or diverting usable stuff from landfills, but it’s a small action everyone can do from home that can really add up. So do the planet a favor this Earth Day: delete your stuff!