Sustainable websites

Internet cables are laid across ocean floors, through forests, mountains, and cities. Electricity must be generated. How and in what way does this happen? Websites and apps consume more or less valuable resources; due to their technical nature alone, large or small amounts of data must be transferred. Fast internet is not only nice and convenient, but also extremely resource-intensive. And the question also arises: Are they even necessary? Who needs this app, this site, and if so, what for and how long will it be used? How valuable and sustainable, in the sense described above, are the applications we plan and design?

Global internet users spend almost seven hours online every day. People chat, stream, search for information, entertainment, and much more. In Asia alone, approximately 2.93 billion people are online, while Europe ranks second with 750 million internet users. In Germany alone, internet usage consumes 13 terawatt hours of electricity per year, which is used solely to operate the networks and data centers. Added to this is the electricity consumption of so-called end devices for a) usage: cell phones, tablets, computers, and b) programming, design, and organization. In Germany, the average user spends 149 minutes per day on a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Despite the many tips available for reducing users' electricity consumption (ranging all the way to digital abstinence: “put your cell phone away”), scientists still expect consumption to increase by around 30% in the coming years. As designers, it is therefore our goal to make the applications themselves sustainable so that they consume as few resources as possible.

The most comprehensive and best definition of “sustainability” was formulated back in 1987 by Norway's then Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland:

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This is considered by many experts to be the best and most comprehensive definition. It forms the basis, for example, for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the United Nations, which are intended to improve the lives of all people on Earth, e.g., through affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, sustainable consumption and production, climate action, and much more.

With the goal of “sustainable digitalization,” we are following this definition. All digitalization processes, all structures and organizations with all their results, processes, structures, and institutions should be built and designed to be sustainable and should work and function together in this way. This addresses not only economic, social, and ecological aspects, but also technical and design aspects.

... refers to voluntary corporate activities that go beyond what is required by law and actively shape the “digital world” for the benefit of society. An initiative launched by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection with this goal in mind aims to help companies by providing them with guidelines: https://cdr-initiative.de. Practical tips can also be found here, such as avoiding cookie banners: only cookies that are absolutely necessary for the operation of the website are used and are deleted as soon as users leave the website.

• Principle 1: Fundamental social values – We use technical systems in a way that is consistent with and promotes our fundamental social values, such as democracy, freedom, the social market economy, and the principle of equal treatment.
• Principle 2: Focus on people – We place people at the center of the development and use of technical systems.
• Principle 3: Creating value – Technical systems used by consumers should offer added value. We weigh up the benefits and risks for consumers when using these systems; the benefits for consumers must be proportionate to the risks.
• Principle 4: Avoid harm – We design our technical systems with the aim of not harming consumers. We ensure that the risks of technical systems remain calculable and manageable in technical and social terms.
• Principle 5: Autonomy – We respect the self-determination of consumers in the development and use of technical systems.
• Principle 6: Fairness - We strengthen participation in and access to a digitalized world in the development and use of technical systems. Consumers are not discriminated against.
• Principle 7: Transparency - We provide understandable information about the basic functioning and effects of our technical systems that are directly aimed at consumers and have relevant effects on them.
• Principle 8: Accountability - We ensure that responsibility for the design and use of our technical systems ultimately lies with clearly defined human decision-makers.
• Principle 9: Sustainability - In the context of digitalization, we pursue the goal of contributing to resource-efficient and socially equitable development in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

We support and advise you in all phases, processes, tasks, and questions relating to sustainability in communication in general and, in particular, in the design, development, and production of sustainable websites!

• In consulting and conception
• In design
• In text
• In development
• In hosting
• In coordination and project management

Here are a few examples.

SUSTAINABILITY STARTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING

In the concept phase, right at the start of every web project, the crucial questions must be asked and answered, and the important course must be set. Good communication should take into account the wishes and intentions of the sender as well as those of all other dialogue partners and the environment in every measure, especially when developing a website. These should be the important goals:

• Keep the website as lean and simple as possible to guide users quickly to their destination so that they can use their time on the site efficiently and do not consume unnecessary resources.
• Avoid redundant content to prevent unnecessary page views.
• Reuse data sources as resources; do not build up multiple sources: single source principle.
• Design sites for the long term to delay redesigns as long as possible.
• Plan further developments in small steps to maintain the infrastructure for as long as possible and maximize its ROI.
• Adhere to recommended updates and include them in long-term budget planning.
• This also means ensuring that all information and requirements are complete and clear at the outset. Any subsequent changes also mean that resources are not being used efficiently.

K.I.S.S.: keep it simple and stupid.

At DRIVE, we work with several hosting partners on a non-exclusive basis and are very familiar with their structures, strengths, and weaknesses. This allows us to recommend the best hosting partner for your objectives and requirements. The partners we recommend place great emphasis on sustainability, especially when it comes to resource consumption.

• Optimizing the energy efficiency of the data center to avoid unnecessary CO₂ emissions, e.g. through
  • Targeted air flow through cold and warm aisles in the arrangement of the server racks
  • High proportion of cooling energy through free cooling with outside air, also with water circulation
  • Targeted control of the optimum supply air temperature
  • Switch off resources that are no longer needed, especially through virtualization
  • Monitoring of all values
• 100% of the electricity generated is renewable
• Avoidance of environmental pollution and energy waste
• Commitment to continuous and systematic improvement of energy performance
• Audits and testing of all components for sustainability by third parties

WHY HAVE WE BEEN CONCERNED WITH SUSTAINABILITY FOR SO LONG?

It's about credibility, benefit, meaning, and long-term communication. As a communication partner, it's important to convey to your counterpart honestly, openly, and transparently that your contribution to the pressing tasks of your partner and the times is a valuable one. And it's about high-quality applications and results. That's what drives us at DRIVE.