1. Abstract

keywords: design, speculative design, digital sustainability, computing within limits, slow computing, green computing, low-tech websites, energy-aware computing

The Internet is rapidly growing in complexity, with increasing negative environmental and social impact. While heating and lighting are tangible examples of energy consumption, internet usage is not perceived as such. Therefore, it opens up opportunities for new, energy-efficient, slower, resource-saving and mindful protocols for the Internet to emerge.

I propose Glow OS - an operating system enabling individuals and communities to align online activities with intermittent solar energy to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free internet in the spirit of joy.

Through the mix of user-centred and speculative design methodologies, the project identifies design opportunities and creates concepts to map various facets of green Internet.

Unlike other existing design approaches and strategies, I use joy as a driving force for addressing large-scale and sustainable change.

Although the primary deliverable is a proposal of Glow OS, its value lies in mapping digital sustainability and visually representing its various values. By taking this step, the project addresses the perceived complexity that may have hindered progress in this area.

2. Introduction

2.1 What is Digital Design Sustainability?

“Digital sustainability is the process of applying social, economic, and environmental stewardship principles to digital products, services, and data delivered via the internet. Designers and developers might interpret this as a call to deliver more resource-efficient digital products, and they would be right.” (Frick, 2022)[1]

Digital design sustainability is an increasingly important area of focus for designers and developers. Although the concept may seem straightforward, creating truly sustainable digital products and services involves many aspects that urgently need to address environmental and social sustainability and building applications that are, according to Sustainable Web Manifesto[2] and Gerry McGovern's Digital Earth[3],