Responsible Digital FAQs

Responsible Digital refers to the conscious and ethical use of digital technologies to minimize their environmental and social impact. Responsible Digital brings together 4 major concepts: Green IT, Human IT, IT for Green and IT for Human.

The Responsible Digital approach encompasses reducing energy consumption, extending equipment lifecycles, optimizing digital resources and promoting an economy where digital is at the heart of sustainable development.

The aim is twofold: to reduce the ecological and social footprint of the digital sector, while making a positive contribution to society.

If it's still working, ask yourself why you don't want to use it any more, and whether you accept the footprint created by new equipment (see previous question). Compare the effort involved in buying and redeploying your digital activities on a new computer with its extended life: it could be reused without any significant additional effort, depending on your needs! You could, for example, install a new operating system to give it a new lease of life. To do so, simply go to the "Extend the life of your computer" project page.

If it really is obsolete for you, donate it (to a university or elsewhere) or sell it (so that it can have a second life). Otherwise, have it recycled at a suitable collection point to avoid the pollution associated with electronic waste (drop it off at an approved collection point - recycleries, ressourceries, specialist stores - or give it to associations that will recondition it). There are also computer/smartphone collections organized by the university.

Websites such as Green IT, The Shift Project orADEME offer advice and studies on responsible digital practices. The university also organizes workshops and conferences.