What is digital sustainability?

Farmed Here builds high-tech hydroponic farms run by software
Farmed Here builds high-tech hydroponic farms run by software. Digital sustainability helps make food, fuel and the home more sustainable

Digital sustainability refers to the use of digital technologies that can have a positive impact on the environment. While most startup founders just want to cut a fast back, like those in advertising, the trend has just started with the success rate for digital sustainability initiatives sitting at only 4%.

The number is expected to grow to 35% in the next few years. This is because millennials and a global interest in digital sustainability is growing: environmental concerns and impact now drive many consumers’ buying decisions.

One study in the US found that 70% of US consumers consider sustainability when making a purchasing decision. And about 88% would be more loyal to a brand that implements sustainable practices.

The GreenTech Meta Trend

Digital sustainability is part of the GreenTech meta trend IoT, driven by AI, machine learning and cloud computing driving this growth. GreenTech can include smart agriculture such as hydroponic farms, fleet monitoring apps to cut down on corporate fuel or new advances in hydrogen. Greentech can also be solutions that consumers can buy like solar panels to programmable smart thermostats like Nest. Software and a digital interface is typically needed for all new devices and advances. 

nest labs google
The Nest smart thermostat, owned by Google

The primary goal of greentech is to reduce the negative impacts humans impose upon the planet, like plastic pollution in the ocean, fossil fuel use (greenhouse gas emissions) and deforestation.

This market is wide and encompasses many industries and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27.2% through 2028. According to the research firm McKinsey, AI is “green” and can be used to reduce food waste globally, saving organizations $123B a year by 2030.

Some links in this article may point to affiliate links to earn revenue to run this site. These are products we have chosen and endorse.

 

Read More

TRENDING

How to Balance Convenience and Sustainability During a Big Move

Long moves are priced by weight and space, and a heavier truck burns more fuel over the same miles. So every box you leave behind cuts the bill and the emissions at the same time.

Prêt-à-porter made with algae

Danit Peleg is reinventing 3D-printed fashion with algae-based biomaterials, AI-powered design and made-to-order manufacturing. Can circular fashion become commercially viable?

Aduro Takes Flexible Packaging to PepsiCo Innovation Hub as Investor Yazan Al Homsi Calls It Chemical Recycling’s Toughest Test

Aduro Clean Technologies is testing a chemical recycling solution for snack wrappers, flexible films and multilayer plastics. Its presentation to PepsiCo in Mexico City highlights the challenge of turning difficult packaging waste into valuable new materials.

The Sustainable Moving Checklist Every Household Should Follow

The most important step is the one nobody enjoys. Six weeks out, walk the house room by room and decide what has earned a place on the truck. Anything you wouldn’t pay to ship is moving out of habit.

6 Best Eco-Friendly Web Hosting Providers That Don’t Sacrifice Speed

Not all green web hosting is created equal. Some companies buy renewable energy certificates, others use cleaner data centers, and some extend the life of existing servers. We compare six web hosts, including GreenGeeks, SiteGround and Hostinger, to see how their environmental claims stack up against performance, speed and transparency.

Scientists make lead-free perovskite solar cells that can weather the elements

Scientists have developed a “raincoat” for lead-free tin perovskite solar cells, helping them withstand air, moisture and heat while maintaining high efficiency.

The Essential Guide To Sustainability in Project Management

Sustainability is an approach where businesses and individuals balance the environmental, social, and economic aspects of a project such that current and future stakeholders are not overburdened with the impacts of the project in future.

Yerukim Forms a New Green Economy Where the Money is Really Green

The Yerukim members who pick up the recyclables get to keep the monetary reward, the public earns "green" bills that can be used in shops, and business owners get to be associated with environmentalism.

Choosing Riyadh over Dubai? What Investors Should Know

Saudi Arabia is deploying capital at unmatched scale to catalyze tourism and advanced industry while rewiring its power-and-water backbone. The investable frontier is widening—especially in renewables, grid storage, water efficiency/desal retrofits, and hospitality operating platforms. Prudent investors will insist on phased delivery, enforceable KPIs (energy, water, biodiversity), and RHQ/zone compliance—while pricing political-economy and reputational risks alongside growth upside.

Sell your cooking oil for biodiesel money

Want to make money on old french fry oil? Sell it.

Qatar Alternative Energy Summit Pairs Investors And Innovators

Alternative energy investors and innovators can meet n' greet in Doha, Qatar March 16 and 17.

Here’s How To Implement The Four Pillars Of Employee Engagement

If you throw a party for your work team and they are vegans, don't make it a barbecue. Know the sustainability values of your team to boost moral and retain good people.

Locals From Rishon Fight IKEA

Big Box stores are a pretty new concept in Israel, and thank God that not every Israeli city wants them in their backyard. A word from someone who has see the beautiful farmland around her hometown Newmarket, Ontario stripped and converted into vulgar strip malls of big box shops: they have no place in a healthy and sustainable town or city.

Popular Categories