Digital Clean-up: The Hidden Side of Sustainability (copy)

Dear reader,

While scrolling through my digital archives these past months, I noticed something striking: the same documents kept appearing. Product brochures, safety information, technical specifications: they weren't just duplicated, but sometimes stored three or four times. In my mailbox, on the shared drive, in compliance software, and often in personal archives too.

This is a hidden aspect of sustainability that we rarely consider in the cosmetics industry: our digital footprint. Did you know that 80% of stored data is never accessed again after three months? Yet, this data continues to consume energy and emit CO2 in data centres. Just as there's a plastic soup in our oceans, we're collectively creating an invisible data soup.

This is particularly relevant in our industry. We send large files daily: beautiful brochures full of high-quality images, detailed safety data, extensive product information. It's considered good customer service to attach everything directly, saving R&D specialists from searching through various portals. But what if this 'customer service' is contributing to a growing sustainability problem?

A New Approach

At Green Cosmetics Revolution, I'm taking the lead in digital sustainability. Our new website will be hosted by Infomaniak, a European provider that prioritises sustainability. I'm also moving all business storage to their servers: one central, sustainable location instead of scattered storage.

Your Digital Clean-up Action Plan

1. Mark March 15th in your calendar: it's Digital Clean-up Day! Make it an annual event.

2. Filter your storage by large files and critically assess what you really need.

3. Use tools to detect duplicates (especially useful for Google Drive users).

4. Empty your bin!

A tip I've learned from the Profit First system: consciously limit your storage space. Just as a small house forces you to be more mindful about possessions, limited digital space makes you more critical about what you keep.

Want to know more about working towards a more sustainable industry at Green Cosmetics Revolution? I’ll soon launch our new website with a Knowledge Hub. Stay tuned!

With sustainable regards,

Priscilla

P.S. How do you handle digital sustainability in your work? I'd love to hear your experiences: feel free to reply to this email!