When I cleanup in my e-mail accounts by deleting and when relevant save a file or move the e-mails to local folder on my own disc only - I wonder how much energy I save per e-mail/byte when the data is not stored (also) on a server that is always on (with backups). #sustainability
Probably not much, and depending on how you look at it, it could use more.
As with most things, our usage is the real problem. When #tech (process change, etc) allows + #feedback to flow & accumulate in new places in the system, it won't be long until the #system adjusts to this new stock.
The 'paperless' promise never came with an #environmental impact study or similar studies for the#economy, behavioral consequences, etc.
An almost entirely overlooked result, across the board wherever you look in #society, is that these adjustments are functionally equivalent to removing checkpoints where flow is bottlenecked. In our market-based system, lowering costs to consumers means increasing said behavior-- at least indirectly, as a consequence of #corporate marketers' narratives of abundance & perpetual #growth.
Now sprinkle in some competition, and the race to the bottom begins: when you can't lower your price anymore (to attract biz away from comp) you offer these 'packages' of increasing use, all ending at the constraint of "unlimited". (>bandwidth magnifies use too)
It's a nice plot-twist in the standard narrative of the #Tragedy_of_the_Commons. Unfortunately, reasonable & moral actions such as yours are not the same ones that will resolve into necessary #sustainable change.
@MalthusJohn I agree not much in total. But negblible would be to say a computer do not need any energy, or that a Facebook datacenter does not consume any energy (or any Fediverse instance for that matter). My thought re e-mail is that the mails are stored both by the e-mail provider and myself locally. Then there are of course other reasons why I do some cleanup. I still believe it lower my foot print slightly!
@hehemrin
We need to work out new norms of disclosure, long-term planning, and financial incentives, to name a few.
We should leave sleight of hand to magic shows, and stop hiding info that people need to make decisions with (that would harmonize w/those new norms).
"Here's this free #digital thingy. Use it (& all your other digital stuff) w/o constraints for the same constant monthly price."
What could go wrong iterating that x4 billion for every #app or feature being created?