Curiously Green subscriber Dr Adi Keinan-Schoonbaert recently shared this blog post about the British Library’s (BL) digital sustainability journey. Adi was key to integrating a “Discover Digital Sustainability” module into the BLs’ Digital Scholarship Training Programme. This post details some of the key steps and takeaways from this years training and what the future holds. As with the Edinburgh University initiative I shared in the last newsletter, it is incredibly encouraging to see large organisations joining the digital sustainability movement.

Congratulations to Adi on her work and drive in moving things forward at the British Library.

Giving your users what they actually need on your website is sustainable web design best practice. If your users can’t find the information or solutions they need on your site, it’s less efficient. Wholegrain uses Experience Principles to uncover and understand an audience’s needs. This combined with a low carbon code base helps create an evergreen and robust site that’s fit to evolve with your organisation.

How do you nail the user research process? Follow a tried and tested three act structure of course. After all, User Research is Storytelling

A frustrating report from the UN agency for Digital Technologies (ITU) on assessing AI’s environmental impact. There is currently a widespread reliance on indirect estimates when making assessments. This leads to substantial data gaps and impedes accountability. Ultimately this restricts the users’ ability to make informed, sustainable choices about AI.

A must read for anyone looking to assess or justify AI usage.

I’m a believer that alternative economic models hold the key to a more sustainable and equitable future. One local authority in Sweden is putting one such model to the test. Tomelilla in Southern Sweden has integrated the principles into their financial and planning decisions. This short article is a great insight into the challenges and benefits this model holds.

If you’re reading this newsletter there is a better than average chance you love trees. If so, have I got a poll for you?

The debate rumbles on in Wholegrain HQ about what tree should win the Woodland Trust’s coveted tree of year 2025. Before you hit the beech this summer, check out the list and get voting. Will you take a leaf out of Wholegrain’s book and vote for the Lonely Tree of Llanberis? Will city dwellers stick to their urban roots and throw their support behind the Argyle Street ash? Or will you cedar light and vote for the Beatles tree in Chiswick House?

If you’ve got a favourite tree, send it in to Curiously Green and we’ll add it to our internal slack poll!