Digital sobriety: Reducing the ecological impact of digital technology

Reading 10 min

April 15, 2025

Summary

Digital sobriety aims to reduce the environmental impact of digital technologies by adopting more responsible usage habits. Contrary to popular belief, digital technology has a very real carbon footprint, linked to the manufacturing of devices, their daily use, and their end of life. Both businesses and individuals can take action by extending the lifespan of equipment, limiting unnecessary usage, and optimizing data management.

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What is digital sobriety?

Digital sobriety is an approach aimed at reducing the environmental impact of digital technologies by adopting more responsible, thoughtful, and sustainable usage habits. It does not question the usefulness of digital tools, but rather seeks to optimize their use to limit energy consumption, natural resource depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions.

This concept is based on the idea that every digital action—sending an email, streaming a video, storing files in the cloud—has a real, often invisible, ecological footprint. Digital sobriety therefore encourages us to rethink our digital practices in order to reduce our carbon footprint.

It applies to both individuals and organizations, including companies and public institutions. Digital sobriety promotes more sustainable technological choices, extending the lifespan of devices, and better management of data flows.

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What are the goals of digital sobriety?

Digital sobriety aims to reduce the growing environmental impact of digital technologies while preserving their benefits for society. It is based on the desire to reconcile technological innovation with environmental respect.

Its main objectives are to:

Reduce the energy consumption associated with digital use (streaming, cloud, data centers, etc.).
Lower greenhouse gas emissions generated by the sector, especially during the manufacturing and use of devices.
Limit the extraction of scarce natural resources (metals, rare earths) required for the production of digital equipment.
Extend the lifespan of devices by promoting repair, reuse, or the purchase of refurbished equipment.
Avoid technological overconsumption by questioning unnecessary or automated usage.
Raise awareness among users about the environmental consequences of their daily digital habits.
Support a responsible digital transition within companies, public authorities, and institutions.

Why is digital technology often perceived as “clean”?

Digital technology is often seen as a “clean” alternative because it gives the illusion of being immaterial. Sending an email, watching an online video, or storing a file in the cloud seems less polluting than their physical counterparts. Yet every digital action relies on a very real infrastructure: servers, data centers, undersea cables, antennas, electronic devices… All of these consume energy and require resources to be produced, powered, and maintained.

This misconception is also due to the invisibility of these infrastructures. Unlike a factory or a vehicle, we don’t see the energy consumed by a click or the pollution caused by streaming. The term “dematerialized” reinforces this confusion: just because a document is no longer printed doesn’t mean it has no impact.

In reality, digital technology is material in its infrastructure and immaterial in its apparent use, which makes its effects hard to perceive. Understanding this duality is essential to adopting a more responsible approach and integrating digital sobriety into everyday behaviors.

Contrary to popular belief, digital technology has a very real carbon footprint, linked to the manufacture of equipment, its daily use and its end of life.

What is the environmental impact of digital technology?

A growing carbon footprint

Digital technology is often perceived as immaterial, yet its carbon footprint is very real—and constantly increasing. According to estimates from ADEME and The Shift Project, the digital sector accounts for between 3% and 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than civil aviation.

This rise is mainly due to the continuous increase in digital usage: video streaming, video conferencing, cloud storage, the multiplication of connected devices, and so on. In fact, every digital activity generates emissions at multiple levels—from the electricity needed to power servers to the manufacturing of the devices used.

Contrary to common belief, it is not just the use of digital services that pollutes, but the entire sector: network infrastructure, data centers, and hardware. And since digital usage continues to grow—especially in businesses, public services, and private life—it is crucial to take action by adopting more restrained habits and rethinking digital consumption models.

Sources of impact: manufacturing, usage, end of life

The environmental impact of digital technology lies in three main stages: the manufacturing of equipment, its everyday use, and its end of life.

Manufacturing is the most polluting phase. It requires large amounts of energy and natural resources (rare metals, water, minerals). It accounts for 70% to 80% of a smartphone’s total carbon footprint over its entire life cycle. The extraction of raw materials—often under environmentally and socially challenging conditions—is a major issue when it comes to digital sobriety.

Usage also generates emissions, particularly from the electricity consumed by devices, internet boxes, telecom networks, and data centers. The heavier the content (HD videos, video calls, online gaming), the higher the energy consumption.

End-of-life management also poses challenges, especially regarding electronic waste. A large portion of obsolete equipment is neither recycled nor properly processed, further contributing to pollution and resource waste.

Adopting a digital sobriety approach means acting at every stage of the lifecycle to reduce the overall footprint: extending usage, limiting new purchases, optimizing energy consumption, and recycling intelligently.

The impact of digital technology in France and Europe

In France, digital technology is estimated to account for around 2.5% of the national carbon footprint, according to the High Council for Climate. This number continues to rise, mainly due to the growing number of connected devices and the intensive use of digital services.

There are over 60 million smartphones in circulation in France, and their average usage duration remains short—about two years per device. French digital infrastructure, such as data centers and 5G networks, also requires increasing amounts of energy, although some of it comes from nuclear power (which has a lower carbon footprint than coal or gas).

At the European level, institutions are increasingly aware of this issue. The European Green Deal includes the reduction of digital-related emissions among its goals, and new directives are being developed to make devices more durable and recyclable.

France has also passed the REEN law (Law on the Reduction of the Environmental Impact of Digital Technology), which imposes obligations on local authorities and companies to help reduce their digital footprint. These legal frameworks enable collective action toward a more sustainable digital future at both national and European scales.

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Which digital habits are the most polluting?

Some of our everyday digital habits have a much greater environmental impact than we realize, due to the energy they consume and the resources required to support digital infrastructure.

Among the most polluting uses:

Video streaming, especially in high definition or autoplay, accounts for nearly 60% of global Internet traffic. Each hour of video watched consumes electricity (servers, networks, screens) and generates CO₂ emissions.
Massive email sending, particularly with large attachments or multiple recipients, keeps servers running continuously. A single email with an attachment can emit up to 50 grams of CO₂.
Unnecessary cloud storage, where thousands of unused files, photos, or videos occupy space on energy-intensive servers operating 24/7.
Frequent device replacement (smartphones, computers, tablets), with manufacturing being the most polluting phase.
Constant use of connected objects, which consume energy even in standby mode and often require frequent updates.

Identifying these practices allows us to implement simple but effective actions to reduce the environmental impact of digital technology on a daily basis.

How to implement a digital sobriety strategy?

For businesses

Implementing a digital sobriety strategy in a business starts with collective awareness and a willingness to incorporate responsible digital practices into an overall sustainability strategy. The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of digital usage while maintaining the performance of IT tools.

The first step is to conduct a digital practices audit: number of devices, lifespan, usage, storage volume, energy consumption, etc. Tools like D-Carbonize help identify the most energy-intensive areas and build a tailored action plan.

Key actions include:

Extending the lifespan of equipment (repair, refurbished devices).
Encouraging low-impact remote work (avoiding unnecessary video calls).
Reducing internal emails and optimizing collaborative tools.
Regularly cleaning servers and storage spaces.
Training teams in eco-friendly digital practices.
Choosing IT providers committed to responsible practices.

Finally, integrating digital sobriety into CSR and responsible purchasing criteria ensures the initiative is sustained over time, engaging both employees and external partners.

For individuals

Everyone can adopt simple, concrete habits to reduce their digital impact without giving up technology. Personal digital sobriety is based on common sense, moderation, and better management of devices and usage.

To lower your digital carbon footprint, you can:

Extend the lifespan of your devices: avoid replacing your smartphone every two years, opt for refurbished or repaired devices.
Reduce streaming consumption: choose standard quality over HD, disable autoplay, favor downloads.
Clean your email inbox regularly: delete unnecessary emails, unsubscribe from unread newsletters, avoid large attachments.
Limit cloud storage: organize files, remove duplicates, prefer local backups.
Turn off unused devices: computers, modems, printers… even in standby, they consume energy.
Disable unnecessary notifications and apps: this also improves the user experience.

What are the three pillars of responsible digital use?

Responsible digital use is built on three complementary pillars, aiming to balance technological performance, environmental protection, and social inclusion. This holistic approach helps turn digital technology into a positive force while minimizing its negative impacts.

Digital sobriety
This pillar focuses on reducing the environmental footprint of digital use by avoiding unnecessary usage, extending device lifespan, and optimizing energy and resource consumption. It represents a cultural shift toward a more mindful and restrained use of technology.
Eco-design of digital services
This involves designing websites, software, and apps that are less energy-consuming and more efficient by reducing file sizes, loading times, and server requests. It also enhances user experience while limiting ecological impact.
Inclusion and accessibility
Responsible digital use also means ensuring digital access for all, addressing the digital divide, making tools accessible for people with disabilities, and developing services that serve societal needs.

What are some best practices for effective digital sobriety?

Adopting digital sobriety doesn’t mean drastically changing your habits, but rather integrating simple and effective gestures into your daily routine. These best practices help reduce environmental impact while improving digital efficiency.

Key actions include:

Extend the lifespan of your equipment: repair instead of replacing, choose second-hand or refurbished devices.
Limit video streaming by choosing standard quality and disabling autoplay.
Regularly clean your email inbox, organize files, delete duplicates, and empty the trash.
Uninstall unused apps from your phone or computer.
Turn off unused devices (computers, modems, printers) instead of leaving them on standby.
Prefer Wi-Fi over 4G, which consumes less energy for standard use.
Optimize online meetings: turn off the camera when not needed, limit the number of participants.

These best practices contribute to a tangible reduction in the digital carbon footprint while promoting a more conscious and sustainable use of technology.

How does D-Carbonize support organizations in their digital sobriety journey?

D-Carbonize helps companies, local governments, and institutions measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprint—including emissions related to digital usage. Digital sobriety is a key component of a broader ecological transition strategy, and D-Carbonize provides the tools to take meaningful and structured action.

With its intuitive platform, D-Carbonize enables a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment, including indirect digital emissions: energy use from equipment, data centers, networks, manufacturing of IT hardware, etc. The tool identifies the most carbon-intensive areas and suggests tailored optimization strategies.

Additionally, D-Carbonize offers personalized support to help organizations set digital sobriety goals, raise team awareness, and implement concrete actions (extending device lifespan, reducing energy-intensive usage, managing digital data more effectively).

By integrating digital sobriety into their CSR or climate strategies, organizations can significantly reduce their environmental impact while meeting regulatory requirements and rising stakeholder expectations.