There’s a lot of advice online about how to start up a business or how to deal with technology. One which stands out as a little more vibrant and actually quite useful is the BIZ HELP ZONE – The right zone for business newbies.
Set up by Lisa Matteo, the website and blog focus on “sharing her knowledge and expertise with others who are looking to start their own business”.
Several of her pieces are about keeping one’s footprint down, such as 5 Frugal Innovations That Can Save Your Small Business Money and 27 low-cost business ideas: How to start a business with no money.
Lisa has been in touch with the VGS and has very generously offered to pen a guest piece. And here she talks about keeping our digital footprint down, both in a personal and a business context:
Your Digital Life Has a Carbon Footprint: Here’s How to Shrink It
If you live in the UK and use everyday digital services—email, streaming, cloud storage, work calls—your online habits quietly add to your carbon footprint. The good news is you don’t need to be “a tech person” to cut that impact. Small choices (what you store, what you stream, how long you keep devices) can reduce energy demand across devices, networks, and data centres—without making life miserable. A lot of people try to “go greener” by buying something new. Ironically, one of the best digital moves is often to use what you already have more thoughtfully.
A quick orientation before you change anything
You can treat this like a simple chain:
Problem: digital habits can waste energy (and money) through always-on devices, unnecessary data, and frequent upgrades.
Solution: reduce needless usage, tidy data, and choose lower-impact tech options.
Result: immediate cuts to household and workplace energy use, plus less e-waste over time.
Pick three changes from this article and do them today. Remember, momentum beats perfection.
The “low effort / high return” guide
| Habit that sneaks up on you | What to do instead | Why it helps |
| Laptop left running overnight | Set sleep/hibernate after 10–30 mins inactivity | Cuts wasted electricity from idle time |
| Endless email newsletters | Unsubscribe + delete old promo chains | Less storage + fewer background syncs |
| Autoplay on video/social apps | Turn autoplay off; download once if you rewatch | Reduces repeat data transfer |
| Duplicate photos/files in cloud | Keep one copy; archive locally if appropriate | Shrinks ongoing storage + sync activity |
| Replacing devices “because it’s slow” | Battery/clean-up/repair first | Avoids the bigger footprint of new manufacturing |
| Always-on meetings | Use audio-only when video adds no value | Lower bandwidth and device load during calls |
Learning without commuting
For many people, education is a big life lever—and it can be greener, too. Studying online can reduce your carbon footprint by cutting commuting emissions and reducing campus-related energy use, while still letting you build skills digitally. If you’re already a nurse, you can enhance your career and improve patient outcomes by earning an online RN to BSN degree—check it out here.
Home habits that actually stick
- Use energy-saving modes on phones, tablets, and laptops (and don’t ignore the “battery” settings screen—it’s usually full of easy wins).
- Turn down brightness and set screens to time out quickly. Your screen is one of the hungriest parts of most devices.
- Stop background busywork: disable auto-play previews, limit background app refresh, and pause cloud sync when you’re on limited power (especially on laptops).
- Stream smarter: if you’re listening to something, you don’t always need the highest video quality. Save HD/4K for when it genuinely matters.
- Router reality check: if you’re away for days, consider switching the router off (as long as it doesn’t break anything important like alarms or smart heating).
The 15-minute digital footprint audit
- Open your phone’s battery/energy settings and identify the top 3 apps by usage.
- Switch on power-saving mode (or schedule it for evenings).
- Turn off autoplay in your most-used streaming/social app.
- Search your email for “unsubscribe” and unsubscribe from 5 lists you never read.
- Delete large attachments you don’t need (start with repeat send-outs like decks and image-heavy chains).
- Check your cloud storage for duplicates (screenshots folders are usually a goldmine).
- Set your laptop sleep timer so it sleeps quickly when idle.
- Pick 3 changes you can commit to for the next 30 days—and write them down.
FAQ
Does deleting emails and files really matter?
It can, especially when it reduces ongoing syncing, storage growth, and repeat downloads across devices. The bigger point is behaviour: once you stop accumulating digital clutter, you usually stream and store more deliberately.
Is it better to keep photos locally or in the cloud?
It depends. Cloud storage is convenient and can be efficient at scale, but hoarding duplicates and junk still creates ongoing demand. A sensible compromise is to keep what you truly value well-organised, and delete the rest.
Is repairing electronics worth it?
Often, yes—because manufacturing new devices generally has a larger footprint than extending the life of what you already own. Even simple repairs (battery replacement, screen replacement) can delay a full upgrade.
What about “green” search engines or eco-friendly apps?
They can help, but don’t use them as an excuse to keep wasteful habits. Start with the basics: power settings, fewer unnecessary downloads, and longer device lifespans.
A genuinely useful UK resource for repair and reuse
If you want a practical way to keep devices in use longer, look at The Restart Project. It’s a UK-based charity focused on repair and reuse, and it supports community repair events (often called Restart Parties). Even if you don’t attend an event, their site is a strong nudge toward buying fewer “fast tech” gadgets and fixing what you already have.
Deal with old tech properly
Responsible e-waste disposal is one of the most concrete digital climate actions you can take, because it reduces waste and helps recover valuable materials. In the UK, the Recycle Your Electricals campaign provides a locator for places to reuse or recycle electrical items, plus guidance on safe disposal (especially for items with hidden batteries).
Conclusion
Your digital footprint isn’t just about “being online”—it’s about defaults: autoplay, always-on devices, endless storage, and short upgrade cycles. Start small: change your settings, cut your data clutter, and keep devices going longer. Then commit to three actions for the next month and treat it like a personal experiment. The most sustainable tech habit is the one you’ll still be doing in six weeks.
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FINALLY: huge thanks to Lisa Matteo – and do visit her website for more: BIZ HELP ZONE – The right zone for business newbies.
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