Digital Technology

Digital Technology: Invisible, but Heavy with Consequences – “6 Min. to Understand” with Pierre Léonard. Midoricast: Podcast #216

Digital technology: invisible, but heavy with consequences. Leave a voice message for Pierre Léonard with a question, comment, encouragement, or thank you here!

We often think that digital technology is “immaterial”, and yet… it weighs as much as global air traffic.

In this new episode of “6 Minutes to Understand“, Pierre Léonard pedagogically dismantles our preconceived ideas about digital consumption. Behind every click, every smartphone, every data center, there are tons of CO₂, extracted resources, and energy consumed. But this is not a guilt-inducing message—quite the opposite.

Concrete examples show how companies are taking action, at their own level, to turn their use of digital technology into a lever for ecological transition. Reduction, extension, refurbishment, questioning suppliers: so many actions that, when added together, become powerful.

An episode to raise awareness, but also to take action—without waiting for the next directive or the next budget.

And you, what is your responsible digital tip? Share it in the comments or leave us a voice message on the podcast page.

Listen to this podcast via Podcastics and subscribe, thank you!

To subscribe, choose your favorite app via the “See All” button in the list provided on our Linktree.

For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or experiencing hearing difficulties, we provide a full transcript at the end of the article.
Make a donation to support our work: Triodos — IBAN : BE73 5230 8097 4160 — BIC : TRIOBEBB

Useful links for this episode:

• Pierre Léonard’s Linktree
• The Circular Economy Fresco
• The Podcast Factory Org asbl-vzw Website
• Join the Kaya coalition

Links to support our association:

• Our Podcastics affiliate link (Note: valid for 7 days after opening the link)
• Our O2Switch affiliate link for top-notch web hosting!
• Review our association The Podcast Factory Org asbl-vzw for its podcasts via our Google profile

Our podcasts are accessible to everyone!

In addition to voicemail, each episode is sequenced and accompanied by a full transcript, allowing deaf and hard-of-hearing people to access it. And with a Google Translate plugin in Chrome, the episode becomes available in all languages! We also offer a video format and transcriptions as subtitles.

Why this segment?

We support companies that implement real and measurable ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) approaches. Pierre trains and supports them through this transition. Our approaches are different but complementary: we encourage, he supports.

This choice also presents a real challenge: where to draw the line?

Some companies mentioned in this segment are not aligned with our current criteria, and we would refuse to collaborate with them as long as they do not initiate concrete change. But that’s precisely where Pierre comes in: his role is to initiate this transformation.

This podcast does not seek to judge, but to inspire. The goal? To encourage rather than discourage, to support rather than exclude.

Let’s commit together to a circular, sustainable, and inclusive economy. Listening, reflection, action… in 6 minutes.

Listen to this podcast on digital technology via our YouTube channel (subscribe: thank you!):

French: The full transcript of this podcast is available as video subtitles in five languages: French, Dutch, German, English, and Spanish.
Dutch: De volledige transcriptie van deze podcast is beschikbaar als ondertiteling van de video in vijf talen: Frans, Nederlands, Duits, Engels en Spaans.
German: Die vollständige Transkription dieses Podcasts ist als Untertitel des Videos in fünf Sprachen verfügbar: Französisch, Niederländisch, Deutsch, Englisch und Spanisch.
English: The full transcript of this podcast is available as video subtitles in five languages: French, Dutch, German, English, and Spanish.
Spanish: La transcripción completa de este pódcast está disponible como subtítulos del vídeo en cinco idiomas: francés, neerlandés, alemán, inglés y español.

Podcast sequencing on digital technology:

• [00:00:34] Episode introduction
• [00:00:45] Environmental impact of digital technology
• [00:00:54] 4% of global emissions
• [00:01:24] Manufacturing digital devices
• [00:02:38] Energy consumption of data centers
• [00:03:11] Energy weight of equipment
• [00:03:30] Positive opportunities of digital technology
• [00:03:45] Concrete examples of committed companies
• [00:04:25] Extending lifespan
• [00:04:36] Donating old equipment
• [00:04:48] Questioning digital suppliers
• [00:05:02] Digital Fresco workshop mentioned
• [00:05:11] Conclusion and call to action
• [00:05:42] The hummingbird quote

Transcript of the podcast on digital technology:

Michel: [00:00:00] This podcast project is an initiative created and presented by the non-profit “The Podcast Factory Org”, with the sponsorship of “transforma bxl – Innovation Playground”. Since January 2025, and for five years, we are also sponsored by “Plugin Company”, our preferred charging station and card operator. “The Podcast Factory Org” is very proud to be a member of “KAYA – Coalition of Ecopreneurs” and to collaborate with the “Love Health Center”. You can find all episodes of all our podcasts on the “What’s Your Story dot be” website.

Intro Jingle: [00:00:32] “You are listening to The Podcast Factory Org.”

Michel: [00:00:34] Welcome to a new Midoricast recording, your podcast on positive initiatives for the environment. And today, we are in the “6 Minutes to Understand” segment with Pierre Léonard, my friend whom I am very happy to see again.

Pierre Léonard: [00:00:45] Hello Michel. Today, we’re going to talk about digital technology and especially about the impact our digital consumption has on our environment.

Pierre Léonard: [00:00:54] Regarding digital consumption, I’ll start with a figure that might surprise you: digital technology generates about 4% of all our global greenhouse gas emissions, which have recently exceeded 40 billion tons. 40 billion tons is a lot, and 4%—I’ll let you calculate what that means—is also a lot, and it’s the equivalent of the aviation sector. We always have the impression that digital technology is something a bit immaterial, but we’ll see that’s not the case at all.

Pierre Léonard: [00:01:24] These famous 4% are explained by several things. First, we use electronic devices—on average, we have four per person. Considering there are 8 billion of us, that’s more than 30 billion electronic devices, an average that of course varies greatly depending on income, etc., and economic class. These devices have to be manufactured. And to manufacture them—our smartphones, computers, tablets, connected fridges, smart cheese graters—they all have to be made. That means we have to extract resources from the Earth’s crust. For example, a smartphone contains about 50 different metals, some of which, like cobalt or rare earths, are often extracted in conditions that are problematic both environmentally and socially. That’s a debate I won’t get into, but just to give you an idea: in one ton of used cell phones, there are about 300 grams of gold. 300 grams of gold is 100 times more, per ton, than in natural deposits. So, that’s already the question of resources. We are overexploiting our natural resources, including rare ones, which are often poorly or rarely recycled, to make devices that, in the end, we are encouraged to replace very frequently.

Pierre Léonard: [00:02:38] Next comes the question of energy. Data centers are those huge warehouses filled with servers that store our data—they are real energy guzzlers. In 2020, they consumed about 1% of all global electricity. And let’s not forget the telecommunications networks that must constantly be expanded and upgraded—we go from 3G to 4G, from 4G to 5G, etc., to meet our ever-growing appetite for data. Not to mention the recent generalization of artificial intelligence, which is extremely energy-hungry and makes the problem even worse.

Pierre Léonard: [00:03:11] But above all, there are the countless devices we use daily—nearly 40 billion. Of course, all these devices need to be charged, they consume electricity, and that represents the largest percentage of all the energy the digital sector consumes, simply because of the sheer number of devices we have.

Pierre Léonard: [00:03:30] But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Digital technology also offers huge opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint in other sectors. For example, carpooling apps and route optimization enable eco-driving and thus reduce fuel consumption.

Pierre Léonard: [00:03:45] What can companies do in the face of this paradox? Two concrete examples from my own experience, with people I’ve worked with. A fund manager decided to favor data centers committed to a sustainable approach, using a renewable energy mix to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and also natural cooling systems to reduce energy consumption. Second example: a university adopted two measures to reduce its digital consumption. The first is very simple but remarkably effective: it consists of asking students to turn off their Wi-Fi during classes—it’s as simple as that. The second is more ambitious and involves the medium-term unification of IT equipment and service purchasing policies.

Pierre Léonard: [00:04:25] Other very simple possibilities: keep your digital equipment longer, beyond the depreciation period. Your accounting department may not be happy, but the planet will thank you.

Pierre Léonard: [00:04:36] Another very simple possibility: when you decide to renew your equipment, donate the old one to an association fighting against the digital divide. They will refurbish it and give it to people who cannot afford to buy new.

Michel: [00:04:48] May I add an important point that I’m afraid we’ll forget? (Pierre Léonard: Mm). Ask your suppliers about their eco-responsible commitments, because that’s where it starts. It’s also about throwing the ball back to them and saying, “Hey, I’m going to be a client! But what eco-responsible solutions do you offer?”

Pierre Léonard: [00:05:02] Exactly, that’s also one of the things. Now, I have a long list, of course, right? (Michel Godart: Yes) Which we go through in a workshop called the Digital Fresco. We might talk about it another time…

Pierre Léonard: [00:05:11] So, in conclusion, digital technology is a powerful tool and, when used properly, can be a tremendous accelerator of companies’ ecological transition. But, of course, it must be handled with care and responsibility. In the meantime, every action counts, and by adopting a thoughtful and balanced approach to digital technology, you can not only reduce your company’s environmental footprint but also improve its efficiency and competitiveness. Thank you for sharing these “6 minutes to understand” the impact of digital technology, and see you in a future episode.

Michel: [00:05:42] And don’t underestimate the impact of the little hummingbird. See you soon.

Outro Jingle: [00:05:48] “You are listening to The Podcast Factory Org.”

Michel: [00:05:50] This podcast project is an initiative created and presented by the non-profit “The Podcast Factory Org”, with the sponsorship of “transforma bxl – Innovation Playground”. Since January 2025, and for five years, we are also sponsored by “Plugin Company”, our preferred charging station and card operator. “The Podcast Factory Org” is very proud to be a member of “KAYA – Coalition of Ecopreneurs” and to collaborate with the “Love Health Center”. You can find all episodes of all our podcasts on the “What’s Your Story dot be” website.

All our Midoricast podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

#PodiBUZ, the editorial brand of The Podcast Factory Org ASBL-VZW.