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  • The Importance of sustainability in the digital age

  • How environmental footprint works in technology 

  • How we can move together to a sustainable future

How can we retain a sustainable environmental footprint moving into the digital ages of automation and artificial intelligence?

Points Covered in this Article

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As we move into an era primarily ran by digital devices and technology, the presence of artificial intelligence and the uses it has becomes realistic topic. Automation is becoming more popular in many manufacturing businesses, this raises the vital question of how we can preserve and monitor the impact this movement could have on our environment. In this day and age, it has become too easy to overlook the ecological impacts our actions re making, but we need to make an obligation to guarantee that the utilisation of technology can be sustainable if used correctly, leaving a positive environmental impact on the earth and our future generations.

The importance of sustainability in the digital age

It is imperative that we observant of the environmental effects of automation and AI. The impact these technologies has already had on our everyday lives is noticeable, with cashiers, waiters and receptionist all being used by technology. It is all too easy to glance over the impact that these new methods could impact our planet and our future generations. There are methods that we can take to guarantee we use sustainable methods and it is our duty to minimise the ecological consequences that could be brought up from our actions. We must ensure that our utilisation of these newly found and implemented technologies leave a positive impact for those who come after us.

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The environmental footprint of technology

The production of electronic devices and the energy consumed to power them are only two of the numerous activities that contribute to the environmental footprint of the technology industry. According to estimates, the production of electronics alone accounts for 10% of global glasshouse gas emissions, while operating these devices consumes up to 3% of total global energy. Energy consumption, cooling, and e-waste all contribute to technology's environmental impact, which is compounded by the rise of data storage and data centres.

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Moving towards a more sustainable future

As we move into a digital age of technology, we must aim at retaining a sustainable environmental footprint, and taking proactive approaches to reducing ways that we could be negatively impacting our environment. This involves a range of methods that we could take, from reducing the amount of energy we consume through energy efficient devices and data centres, to recycling and reusing electronics in the manufacturing systems and investing into the implementation of more renewable energy sources globally.

 

Investing in renewable energy sources

Investing in renewable energy sources like wind and solar is another key step in reducing technology's environmental footprint. By employing clean, renewable energy to power our gadgets and data centres, we can drastically minimise our environmental footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future. Furthermore, investing in renewable energy may help to create employment and encourage economic growth, delivering a variety of advantages that go beyond merely lowering our environmental footprint.

Zac Goodall

Automation and Artificial Intelligence 

zacg2023@365.silkwood.qld.edu.au

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© 2023 by Zac Goodall, Created on Editor X.

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