3. The impact of information technology on environment and society

How Earth’s orbit became polluted so fast

Towards sustainable operations in space

What can we learn from the recent developments in satellite technology?

The physical side of information technology

Hardware: A sustainable lifecycle?

Electronic waste and recycling

Longevity: extended lifespan

Consideration for people and communities

Hardware manufacturers’ green promises

Network and cloud: Challenges and opportunities

Network energy consumption and CO2 emissions

The cloud can lead the way for good climate solutions

Societal aspects of networking

When the network connects us - or separates us

Software: Key sustainability aspects

Software has a direct impact on power consumption and emissions

AI and sustainability: footprint and potential

Technical debt and code optimization

Choose software packages wisely

Individual and societal aspects of software

Problematic digital use: a sustainability challenge

Sustainable pathways: repairability, longevity and low-tech

Activism, politics and war in cyberspace

How can we make information technology more sustainable?

Bringing it together: Key insights from this chapter