Guidelines for Sustainable Online Behaviors. Green Computing Practices to Reduce the Digital Carbon Footprint

The current state of concern for the environment and awareness of the climate emergency have become prevalent issues. The environmental impact resulting from the use and expansion of digital infrastructure highlights the need for greater awareness and action on this topic. While the consumption of material resources can often be perceived through the associated financial cost, the energy consumption caused by the use of digital products, services, and systems remains invisible to users. This article proposes to focus on the area of Green Computing, as it is believed that this discipline can contribute to the reduction of the digital carbon footprint. The aim of the study was to conduct a literature review and a critical and informed analysis of Sustainable Online Behaviors. Building upon the guidelines proposed by Elgaaïed-Gambier et al., 2020, we sought to extend their scope in order to derive an expanded set of Green Computing Practices aimed at mitigating the Digital Carbon Footprint. Through the proposed guidelines, we believe that Green Computing practices can be disseminated and reach various layers of society, contributing to digital citizenship that can educate children and young people about the importance of this issue.