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@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ Avoiding CO2 emissions in data storage is a daily task, too
body: body:
When we talk about climate change or sustainability, we usually think When we talk about climate change or sustainability, we usually think
about factories or cars. What we usually don't anticipate is how much about things we can see such as factories, cars, or plastic waste. What we don't notice though is how much
we actually contribute to climate change by our digital behaviour. we actually contribute to climate change by our digital behaviour.
Even when we don't notice, we are still respopnsible for the consequences of our action. So what is the current state of digital data storage, and what can we do to change things for the better?
## How data is stored ## How data is stored
@ -25,66 +27,63 @@ Your data is usually stored in one of the many data centers in the
world. To save your data, multiple disks or even multiple servers are world. To save your data, multiple disks or even multiple servers are
used to ensure that your data is safely stored. used to ensure that your data is safely stored.
When you open up your mobile phone to browse pictures or to read your That means When you open up your mobile phone to browse pictures or to read your
email, you access the servers to retrieve your data. email, you access the servers to retrieve your data.
## How data centers operate ## How data centers operate
Most data centers use energy from the grid. This energy can be either For servers to run they need electricity, on one hand for actually running the
produced by coal, nuclear power or renewable energy. servers that store your data and on cooling on the other hand. The
amount of energy used for cooling is quite significant, too. And this is an imoprtant question for the environment: how is the electricity for running and cooling the servers produced, with what source?
![](/u/image/energysource.jpg) ![](/u/image/energysource.jpg)
Unfortunately, most of them don't run on renewable energy. Some do buy CO2 Unfortunately, most of datacenters don't run only on renewable energy. Most of them use energy from the grid, and this energy can be produced by coal, nuclear power or renewable energy.
certificates to compensate for this fact.
On better cases datacenters use a mix of energy sources, making their energy source portfolio *somewhat* green. Some datacenters do buy CO2 certificates to compensate for this fact.
![](/u/image/co2-offset.jpg) ![](/u/image/co2-offset.jpg)
The energy in a data center is spent on one side for actually running the
servers that store your data and on cooling on the other hand. The
amount of energy used for cooling can be quite significant, too.
So even if you are living a very green and sustainable way, you might So this is the current state, even if you are living a very green and sustainable way by saying no to plastic, meat, and recycle as much as you can, you can still be contributing to CO2 emissions by using your default data storage. Because the default energy source of digital world is not green, at better cases it is somewhat green by mixed source or a bit green by offsetting the CO2 emission.
be contributing to CO2 emissions by using your default data storage.
## An alternative: the sustainable way of saving data ## An alternative: the sustainable way of saving data
So how can we tackle this situation? So how can we tackle this situation? Our project of [Data Center
We have worked hard here in Switzerland to create the [Data Center Light](https://datacenterlight.ch) came into the world by questioning the status quo.
Light](https://datacenterlight.ch), a completely alternative
approach to save as many CO2 emissions, as possible.
And this is how it is done: And this is how it is done:
* instead of buying certificates, we use 100% renewable energy
* instead of buying energy, we produce it locally (using PV and a * instead of buying energy, we produce it locally (using PV and a
local hydropower plant) local hydropower plant)
* instead of building new data centers, we modernise existing factory * instead of offsetting by buying certificates, we use 100% renewable energy
* instead of building new data centers, we reuse existing factory
halls halls
* instead of buying new servers, we buy 2nd hand (with new disks/ssds) * instead of buying new servers, we buy 2nd hand (with new disks/ssds)
![](/u/image/environment-chat.jpg) ![](/u/image/environment-chat.jpg)
## The sustainable data center ## The sustainable alternative
With this approach, there is practically no CO2 emission from power This way we want to set the new default that is as little energy as popssible, and as green as energy as possible.
consumption and also the grey energy is minimised. The team of By redesigning how our servers operate there is practically no CO2 emission from power
[ungleich](https://ungleich.ch) is very proud to offer a variety of consumption and also the grey energy is minimised.
products that are built with sustainability in mind:
With this setting, we are creating a place where everybody can make a sustainable choice in storing their data. Where one can save the data in a green storage at our [Zero Carbon Cloud,](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/zero-carbon-cloud/) or run Virtual Private Servers at our [Data Center Light,](https://datacenterlight.ch) [back up](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/backup/) their data with green energy.
Since the beginning of our journey we have received a lot of love and support from the tech and sustainability community. Our team at [ungleich](https://ungleich.ch) is very proud of our growing range of products, because it was not only the result of our own effort that added a new product on the list. It was very much reflecting the need of the community that supported us, that demanded greener, more sustainable choices to be available.
* [Sustainable Data Storage: Zero Carbon Cloud](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/zero-carbon-cloud/)
* [Sustainable Virtual Private Servers: Data Center Light](https://datacenterlight.ch)
* [Sustainable IPv6 VPNs: IPv6VPN](https://ipv6vpn.ch)
* [Sustainable IPv6 Backup](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/backup/)
* [Sustainable Matrix chat](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/hosted-matrix-chat/)
* [Sustainable Mattermost chat](https://ungleich.ch/u/products/zero-carbon-chat/)
![](/u/image/datacenterlight-hydro-solar.jpg) ![](/u/image/datacenterlight-hydro-solar.jpg)
In our opinion, we can only reach sustainability, if we take actions ## Call to action
in all fields of our daily life.
If you have any questions or comments, you can reach us at We are a team of people who believe that there are really a lot of things that can be done better. You can make big changes by simply start caring for things that you did not before. That's why we urge everybody to think about the digital data we're using daily - how and which energy is it using, and is it sustainable.
If it is based on sustainable sources, support it, give it love so it can continue. If it is not based on sustainable sources, demand it to do better. We already have solutions, we just need everybody to do their part.
If you have any thoughts to share, you can reach us at
**sustainability at ungleich.ch** or in the [ungleich **sustainability at ungleich.ch** or in the [ungleich
chat](https://chat.with.ungleich.ch). chat](https://chat.with.ungleich.ch).