I Want To … #

We hope to include some visual decision support tools in this section in the future. These might draw especially on the evidence and recommendations in the Working Practices and Project Planning sections. If you’re interested in contributing to this section, please get in touch, or join the conversation here.

Our first step below is to build a list of needs, and to signpost relevant evidence and recommendations within the toolkit.

I want to organise an online event #

• See section on Communication Methods for more information on videoconferencing.
  • If you are delivering the event as part of a funded project, make sure you include environmental considerations in your application. See Grant Writing for more details.
• As well as videoconferencing, consider what other computing processes will be involved in running your event. These may include:
  • Creating a website. See Minimal Computing, and in particular, sections on Static Site Generators, Tips for Sustainable Websites and Critical Design and Systems Change.
  • Emailing. See Day-to-day Working and Data Traffic.
  • Lastly, you should consider how you will responsibly dispose of project websites, email threads etc., and how you will archive your data. See Archiving Your Data.

I want to organise a hybrid event #

• Organising a hybrid event will involve many of the same questions as organising an online event. See above for relevant links.
• Additionally, you should consider:
  • Travel
  • Catering
• You may also want to consider the bigger picture of your institution’s energy procurement strategy.

I want to measure carbon emissions #

• Consider how you might make sensible improvements even before you have measured emissions.
• The Project Footprinting section offers an introduction to carbon footprinting and concepts such as Emissions Factors.
• The Data Carbon Scorecard is a light touch tool to help you plan a new data project.
• The DIMPACT tool estimates emissions associated with audiovisual streaming and other digital activities.
• Cloud Carbon Footprint is an open source tool that provides visibility and tooling to measure your cloud carbon emissions. Here’s a case study from ThoughtWorks.
• The Software Carbon Intensity Specification is a high level framework for scoring a software system’s carbon emissions. Now an ISO standard. See also this Green Software Foundation guidance on carbon efficiency, energy efficiency, hardware efficiency, measurement and reporting, and the Impact Framework.
• Investigate a hosting provider’s energy source with the Green Web Check.
• Tools like Website Carbon Calculator and Ecograder can estimate a website’s carbon impact.
• Green Algorithms Calculator will give you a carbon estimate for a computational process based on runtime, types of cores, number of cores, model, etc.
• A variety of sector-specific Carbon Literacy Toolkits are available from the Carbon Literacy Project.
• Check out Green Coding Solutions’ Green Metrics Tool, to measure the energy / CO2 consumption of software, especially containerized software.

I want to create a website for a research project #

• Begin by factoring consideration of website creation and maintenance in your project proposal’s data management plan. See discussion of Energy Proportionality in the Grant Writing section for more details.
• When it comes to designing your website, you could consider factors such as Static Versus Dynamic Websites, Tips for Sustainable Websites and Critical Design and Systems Change.
• Additional guidance on Minimal Computing Principles may also be helpful for approaches for sustainable website design.
• Think about where to host your website.
• Consider displaying a certification, e.g. Neuto’s Digital Carbon Rating Scale.
• After the conclusion of the research project, it is important to consider how you will dispose of and archive your data.

I want to create a digital edition of a book #

• Consider what would be the least energy intensive way to produce a digital edition of a book. Minimal Computing approaches can have advantages in terms of accessibility and longevity, as well as environmental impact.
• It is likely that you can publish a transcribed manuscript or a collection of images on a static website. For details on this, see Static versus Dynamic Websites.
• The Data Carbon Scorecard may help to facilitate discussions.
• Other considerations include:
  • Images
  • Hosting your digital edition with a green hosting provider.
  • And even fonts

I want to create a personal website #

• First, consider the purpose of this website. Do you want to share blog posts, display images or include interactivity features such as comments? Use these questions to decide what kind of website is the most appropriate for your needs. For more details on this, see Static Versus Dynamic Websites.
• If you require a dynamic website, the section on Content Management Systems includes links to tools for creating more lightweight dynamic websites.
• The section on Tips for Sustainable Website Design includes a number of further useful tips, including advice on images, fonts, hosting considerations and more.
• Consider displaying a certification, e.g. Neuto’s Digital Carbon Rating Scale.

I want to create a website for a research network #

• First, consider the purpose of this website. Do you want to share blog posts, display images or include interactivity features such as comments? Next you can decide what kind of website is the most appropriate for your needs. For more details on this, see Static Versus Dynamic Websites. If you require a dynamic website, the section on Content Management Systems includes links to tools for creating more lightweight dynamic websites.
• Additionally, the section on Tips for Sustainable Website Design includes useful information about images, fonts, hosting considerations and more.
• Lastly, you should consider how you will Archive Your Data.

I want to train an AI #

• The section on Maximal Computing provides information on computationally intensive work. In particular, see discussion of Energy Proportionality, which will help you to consider your rationale for training an AI; and Measures of Efficiency, which provides information on using more energy efficient models.
• The section on Easy Wins contains advice on training models for machine learning tasks.
• Additionally, consider the carbon cost of AI in your project’s Data Management Plan.

I want to build a piece of software #

• Check out the Software Development section, and the resources of the Green Software Foundation.
• Check out Green Coding Solutions’ Green Metrics Tool, to measure the energy / CO2 consumption of software, especially containerized software.
• You might also be interested in Scaphandre, another open source tool for measuring energy / CO2 consumption of software.
• Read about Minimal Computing.
• Think about how your software will fit into the big picture of climate transition by checking out the toolkit’s Climate Change FAQs.

I am writing a Data Management Plan #

See section on Grant Writing and Data Management Plans for specific advice on energy proportionality, identifying relevant standards and frameworks, and more.

I am working with an external partner on their digital sustainability #

• Julie’s Bicycle has a lot of resources for arts and culture organisations. This briefing report focuses on digital sustainability. The Networked Condition has some interesting case studies and tools focused on artworks and the digital.
• Check out the Case Studies section.
• Many different parts of the toolkit may be relevant, depending on your focus. It can be challenging for smaller organisations to find the resources to prioritise sustainability. Sometimes it may be helpful to focus on co-benefits (e.g. reducing electricity bills), while keeping in mind the big ethical and political questions - are there ways they can raise awareness through their programming or activities, use their experiences to advocate for better climate policies, and/or link their work to existing climate campaigns?

I think my laptop / desktop / device needs replacing #

• Explore options for repair first. The section on Using Digital Devices in General in ‘Working Practices’ has useful information on the carbon cost of hardware and how to replace hardware in an environmentally responsible manner.
• This could also be an opportunity for Advocating within your Institution for more systemic change.
• You might see replacing your work computer in a sustainable way as a small change, but you can Connect Small Changes with Big Changes in order to improve institutional practices more generally.
• If you need to dispose of old equipment, consider organisations like the Turing Trust, Computers 4 Charity, Tameside Community Computers, Close the Gap, Little Lives, etc.

I am requesting equipment for my DH lab #

• The section on Using Digital Devices in General in ‘Working Practices’ has useful information on the carbon cost of hardware and how to replace hardware in an environmentally responsible manner.
• Additionally, requesting lab equipment provides an opportunity for Advocating within your Institution. In particular, see sections on how to Get Involved in Supply Decisions and a list of Questions to ask senior decision-makers at your institution.

I want to advocate for change within my institution #

• The section on Advocating within your Institution is definitely for you.
• Check out the 2024 Jisc report on Digital Sustainability in Tertiary Education. The Jisc roadmap suggests: cultivate responsible leadership, enable collaboration, empower action, teach with tech, and innovate (e.g. incorporate Jisc’s digital elevation tool and Honeywell Forge project). For several of these, the Teaching and Training section of the toolkit may be of use.
• Also check out the UKRI Net Zero Digital Research Infrastructure Scoping Project.
• Explore whether the Green DISC certification might be right for your research group.