Can we reduce the environmental impact with technology?

The answer is clear: yes. To reduce the environmental impact, we have a series of traditional resources within our reach that are more or less effective. From everyday actions such as recycling, responsible use of energy resources, or reducing the consumption of plastic and other polluting packaging; to carrying out more committed and effective measures from ecological groups and associations. 

But, beyond the everyday actions we all know, in this post, we address a new way to take care of the planet thanks to technology. How can you do it? 

On this last point, in terms of the sector that concerns us, we would like to emphasize that, thanks to the application of proctoring (remote monitoring) in your school or company, you can contribute to the health of the planet. An innovative gesture whose unique contribution is not only to the ecosystem but also to family reconciliation and accessibility to educational resources. 

Why is it important to take measures to reduce environmental impact?

Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 7 are directly related to the environment. Either indirectly, in the case of protecting the marine world, or indirectly, with quality education. 

Let us focus on Goal 13: Climate action. It treats climate change as a present problem and addresses mitigating measures from a global perspective, involving all government agents and citizens. 

Of all the points it mentions, we find these three alarming: 

This last point of the UN concerning the scope of action of technology and institutions is key to ensuring that global warming does not exceed the threshold limit for experts.

How to reduce the environmental impact of a company

In recent years, many companies have been committed to raising the flag of sustainability to combat harmful environmental impact through their business policies.

Therefore, their Corporate Civil Responsibility includes concrete proposals and actions focused on positively contributing to the ecosystem. 

Before the health situation experienced in 2020, many businesses were already in the process of implementing teleworking as a work-life balance and sustainable measure. Those who have maintained it contribute directly to reducing the carbon footprint with vehicle emissions. 

Likewise, within facilities, there are signs that something is changing. We see it in:

• Light and time sensors.
• Parking lots for electric charging. 
• Automatic taps.
• Waste separation and recycling.
• The human contribution with garbage collection outlets in forests or tree planting. 

Education also helps to take care of the planet

Companies can stir the conscience and prepare people to be more careful with flora and fauna. Some of us are already doing this by applying ecological values, both in and outside the office, and by raising employee awareness. 

We can also do it in the educational community through our actions to reduce environmental impact. One of the ways that research has put within our reach is combined tools such as the LMS (Learning Management System) and SMOWL (proctoring).

If there is already a substantial contribution with a single distance education system, the positive contribution is double when adding another. This is the case with the incorporation of proctoring systems such as SMOWL. 

Having a 100% online training system offers a series of advantages, both for the training center and the Earth:

Reduce consumption of energy resources and infrastructures

As there are no students in the academic center, neither for teaching classes nor on the day of exams, there is no excess consumption of electricity, water, and air conditioning. This is because energy consumption is usually higher in centers with a massive concentration of people than in individual rooms. 

Avoidance of travel and, therefore, CO2 emissions

Being able to train from home not only contributes to universal access to education for everyone, wherever they are but also helps by restricting private or public transport movements to only what is essential.

Save on material and cleaning

We are referring, for example, to test printouts on paper and the subsequent maintenance of the installations. 

All this contributes to keeping the planet clean now and in the future for generations to come. 

Is there an environmental impact with the technology?

We would like the answer to this question to be a resounding yes, as stated in the article’s first line. However, human presence, with or without technology, impacts the environment to a greater or lesser extent. 

As does nature itself. Just look at the footprint on the ecosystem caused by volcanoes or fires caused by lightning. 

The last decade’s trend is indisputable: we are moving towards digitalization in general, and in education and training in particular, for all the advantages it brings and its low cost in relation to traditional media. 

“Artificial intelligence opens up a wide range of possibilities.”  

In this sense, we must be honest and pose that technical and technological innovation helps us to balance our relationship with nature, but it is not innocuous. 
It is better to travel by bicycle than in an electric car, and in turn, it is better to travel in an electric car than in a vehicle with a combustion engine. Therefore, we can conclude that nowadays, we must commit ourselves to choose the most environmentally friendly alternative for all good.