In an era where digital presence is paramount, the environmental impact of our online activities often goes unnoticed. But what if we could design a web that not only meets our needs but also respects our planet?
Enter Sandy Dähnert, the heart and head of Green the Web, a freelance UX designer, podcast host, and social and environmental justice activist. With over 12 years of experience, Sandy is on a mission to support designers and companies in creating sustainable designs and socially responsible digital products.
Green the Web is more than just a design service; it’s a vision for an ecological, social, and ethical web. Sandy champions climate-friendly, accessible, and mentally healthy digital products that communicate transparently, inclusively, and with a positive impact on nature’s regeneration. By advocating for sustainable design, Green the Web challenges the status quo, urging the tech industry to prioritize ecological concerns alongside profits.
In this exclusive interview, Sandy shares insights on the significant environmental impacts of digital products, the challenges of advocating for sustainable design in the tech industry, and the misconceptions businesses have about implementing sustainable practices. From volunteering in Nicaragua to leveraging emerging technologies, Sandy’s journey is both inspiring and practical, offering a roadmap for aspiring designers and businesses alike to prioritize sustainable design in their careers and digital strategies.
- You mentioned volunteering in Nicaragua as a pivotal experience. How did that time influence your perspective on sustainable design?
- In your opinion, what is the most significant impact that digital products have on the environment today?
- What challenges do you face when advocating for sustainable design in the tech industry, and how do you overcome them?
- What are some common misconceptions businesses have about implementing sustainable practices in their digital products?
- What motivates you to continue advocating for sustainability in an industry that often prioritizes profits over ecological concerns?
- How can emerging technologies be leveraged to further promote sustainability in digital design?
- If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring designers who want to prioritize sustainability in their careers, what would it be?
You mentioned volunteering in Nicaragua as a pivotal experience. How did that time influence your perspective on sustainable design?
Sandy: The time definitely influenced my perspective on so many things. I spend over a year in Latin America and half of that time volunteering at an NGO in Nicaragua as a web designer. I saw how important it is to cater for low internet speed, to build engaging websites that load fast within the low broadband and still deliver beautiful and important messages. I saw how important environmental work is within the communities from the ground up and how hard people are working to reduce, limit and turn around the devastating destruction we as human beings created.
After that I knew I wanted to dedicate a lot of my time for any kind of environmental or also social cause, whether it’s work or continuous volunteering. I recognized how much power we as designers have.
In your opinion, what is the most significant impact that digital products have on the environment today?
Sandy: I see especially three major aspects: resource depletion, e-waste and over-consumption.
Resource depletion happens along the whole journey of manufacturing and production of telecommunication networks, devices, data centers as well as the use of it all.
That comes with relying heavily on non-renewable energy but also huge water resources as well as rare metals and materials. All of it has a massive effect on resources as well as our carbon footprint.
The issue of e-waste is that devices are mainly designed with planned obsolescence and an incredibly short life cycle. We don’t need a new smartphone every year. We don’t need the third laptop within two years. It’s madness and pure waste.
And the third aspect is over-consumption which is digital over-consumption but also materialistic over-consumption.
Looking at the digital over-consumption we consume a lot more, streaming series, watching movies day in and day out, doom scrolling through social media watching random cat videos, being in the internet without the actual need to be online.
The materialistic over-consumption looks at the constant 24/7 access to online shops. We order, buy and return massively more clothes, devices, products and stuff than if we wouldn’t have that kind of access.
What challenges do you face when advocating for sustainable design in the tech industry, and how do you overcome them?
Sandy: The biggest challenges are the mindset, the knowledge and the structures.
There’s often misconception, e.g., that sustainable design comes with massive expenses. Many stakeholders are resistant to change due to a lack of awareness about sustainable options or fear of increased costs.
The mindset of people is key for sustainability. If the person or team believes in creating more sustainable processes being helpful for their business, their consumers and the environment then this goes a long way forward. If the person or team you’re working with doesn’t have that mindset than it is extremely hard to work on sustainable matters. There’s often misconception, e.g., that sustainability comes with massive expenses. Many stakeholders are resistant to change due to a lack of awareness about sustainable options or fear of increased costs.
The second level is knowledge. You need to know where the team stands. Do they already have some knowledge in sustainability criteria or do you need to educate the team you’re working with. If they have the right mindset they are open for this knowledge. It then can be a journey guiding them to what they need to know and do at the right time within the process.
And then the third level are the structures. If they have very stiff structures within their team or company it’s harder to change the workflows, the processes and the journeys. If there’s a heavy prioritization on fast paced workflows and tight deadline it’s harder to bring in sustainable aspects as there’s simply no time. There might be hierarchies of extra people to involve, co-depending workflows and slow turning mills. The structures can define whether sustainability can be successfully implemented and whether it is a marathon or a sprint.
By sharing data-driven insights and success stories, I demonstrate that sustainable design can drive innovation and even create competitive advantages.
I’ve seen so many different shapes and forms of these challenges. It is really a huge spectrum. You just need to know where you can start, what’s the baseline for everyone involved and then take the next steps to wherever you would like to end up.
Every project is different. Some projects highlight more accessibility to be the top priority, other projects highlight lightweight design to be the main priority or mentally healthy design or reducing overconsumption.
You need to know what the top priorities of this project are, for yourself and with the team.
You can do many things without anyone noticing, just by doing things a bit differently. But obviously the bigger impact and the bigger results come when everyone is on board and is working towards more sustainable design
To overcome these hurdles, I focus on education and collaboration. By sharing data-driven insights and success stories, I demonstrate that sustainability can drive innovation and even create competitive advantages. Building strong networks of like-minded professionals helps amplify the message and normalize sustainable practices in the industry.
What are some common misconceptions businesses have about implementing sustainable practices in their digital products?
Sandy: One common misconception is that sustainability is a “nice-to-have” rather than a necessity. Many businesses think implementing sustainable practices is expensive, complicated, or disruptive to their operations. Another misconception is that the environmental impact of digital products is minimal because they aren’t physical.
In reality, sustainable design often leads to cost savings through energy efficiency, optimized performance, and reduced resource usage. Addressing these misconceptions starts with education—helping businesses understand the tangible and intangible benefits of sustainability and the risks of ignoring it.
What motivates you to continue advocating for sustainability in an industry that often prioritizes profits over ecological concerns?
Sandy: I’m driven by the belief that design has the power to shape the world – and how we as designers can shape it in better ways. I don’t want to ask myself at 80 years old if I could have done more. Every step toward sustainable design feels like a small but significant victory, and the ripple effects of even small changes are incredibly motivating. I also draw inspiration from the growing community of designers and technologists who are equally passionate about building a better future. It’s a reminder that while the challenges are great, we’re not alone in this journey.
How can emerging technologies be leveraged to further promote sustainability in digital design?
Sandy: Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) can be powerful tools for sustainability if used thoughtfully. AI can optimize energy consumption in data centers or streamline digital workflows to reduce waste. Blockchain can enhance transparency in supply chains, ensuring more sustainable practices. IoT can monitor and reduce energy usage in real time. The key is to prioritize sustainability as a guiding principle in how these technologies are developed and deployed. Currently I don’t see that guiding principle for most emerging technologies yet. We still have to fight for more here.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring designers who want to prioritize sustainability in their careers, what would it be?
Sandy: Have fun and be curious. Sustainability isn’t about perfection – it’s about progress and persistence. It’s also not about limitations – it’s about thinking outside of the box, trying new things and enjoying the process.
Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Remember, every sustainable choice you make has the potential to inspire others and create a ripple effect far beyond your immediate work.
