What is a sustainable digital culture?
In short: a digital culture that is as minimally taxing on the environment as possible while contributing as much as possible to a sustainable, future-proof, and livable planet for people, animals, and plants. Online sustainability meets the needs of the current generation without compromising those of future generations.
For cultural institutions, this means engaging new digital native audiences, but with a sustainable approach. New generations of audiences demand and expect digital to be part of their experience, and you can also retain older audiences this way. A great opportunity, but how do you approach this with care for our planet? In other words: how do you create a sustainable digital landscape?
3 steps for a sustainable approach in culture
Cultural institutions engaged in digital transformation look to the past, present, and future. The past offers inspiration for new stories, and today’s reality creates opportunities for tomorrow. By finding a balance between new digital value creation and the planet, you ensure the future and a future-proof organization.
This is how you tackle digital transformation sustainably:
Start with the processes
Take energy-saving measures in digital services and data storage. For example, collaborate efficiently in digital documents to reduce the number of files emailed. Also, for your website: reduce image sizes where possible, so it uses less data and your website becomes faster, which also optimizes the user experience.
Opt for reuse and multi-purpose use
Sometimes you can’t further reduce the environmental impact, but you can utilize it more optimally. Take, for example, your digital archive. It consumes a lot of energy but also enables new value creation. Uncover old stories with digital storytelling or open your online archive to visitors. This way, you get more out of your collection with the same (or minimally extra) footprint.
Choose green options
There are more sustainable choices to be made everywhere, even digitally. For example, reuse hardware and software, check the footprint of the software company you choose, clear your email storage at a fixed time each week, and opt for chatting instead of emailing.
“200 surveyed institutions in the Netherlands rated the importance of becoming more sustainable in the coming years with an average of 8.8”
Contribute to online sustainability and attract new audiences
How is digitization compatible with a greener, more sustainable world? At DEN, we believe in positively utilizing your platform. Tomorrow’s audience, such as Gen Z, increasingly values sustainability. And therefore organizations that contribute to a better world. By setting a good example as a cultural institution and striving for online sustainability, you inspire others én capture the interest of this audience.
Learn more about the audience of the future
Who is Gen Z? What drives them? And what does sustainability mean for this online generation? DEN helps you explore this in the theme Audience of the Future. We share knowledge, inspiration, and tools to prepare your organization for an audience that is radically different from what you’re used to.
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