Chapter 8. A Future-Friendly Internet

What You Will Learn in This Chapter

If all digital products and services were efficient and low impact, if all hosting was powered by renewable energy, how would a more sustainable Web work for years to come? This brief chapter closes the book on a bright note, offering a glimpse into what a sustainable Internet might look like down the road.

Will the digital future be green?
Figure 8-1. Will the digital future be green?

Future-Friendly Web

We have spent many pages in this book talking about how to make our digital products and services more lean, future-friendly, accessible, and sustainable. If we’re going to make the reality of an efficient Internet powered by renewable energy and run on devices created with fair and equitable practices, some big things need to happen. The following sections discuss some ideas for how we can get there based on topics already covered in this book.

Conscientious Companies

Online commerce plays an increasingly larger role in business being the most powerful man-made force on the planet. Thus, the future of the Internet is intricately woven into the future of business. Thankfully, there are some rapidly growing movements afoot with the potential to transform business.

Groups such as Conscious Capitalism and the B Corp movement are doing wonders to infuse business with a sense of purpose beyond just profit. Inspiring certified B Corps like Etsy, Kickstarter, ...

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