
How can developers help reduce carbon emissions?
Green Code, the path to a responsible digital revolution that combines technological innovation and preservation of our planet. Green Code is establishing itself as an essential movement, propelling our society towards a sustainable, environmentally-friendly future. Developers play a crucial role in the democratization of Green Code. Green Code is born of the conviction that the digital revolution must be an engine for sustainable progress, integrating environmental responsibility at every stage of the technological life cycle to preserve resources for future generations. This vision harmonizes technological innovation with nature 🌿, avoiding harm to our planet 🌏.
The origins of the Green Code
The Green Code was born out of a collective awareness of the harmful effects of the digital revolution on the environment. Once considered an energy-saving industry, the explosion of information and communication technologies (ICT) has led to a significant increase in energy consumption. According to a study by the International Energy Agency, ICTs will account for around 8% of the world's electricity consumption in 2020, equivalent to Japan's total consumption. This alarming reality has prompted enlightened minds to fundamentally rethink our digital approach.
The Green Code in figures
- In 2021, the Green Code saved over 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity worldwide, reducing CO2 emissions by almost 90 million tonnes. That's equivalent to taking more than 19 million cars 🚘 🚘 🚘 off our roads for an entire year.
- Data centers, which are central to the operation of the Internet, currently consume almost 1% of the world's electricity. Thanks to the efforts of the Green Code, this consumption is falling sharply, saving precious resources.
- In the consumer electronics sector, "green" appliances 🟢 have gained in popularity, with over 40% of consumers opting for eco-responsible products in 2022, compared with just 10% in 2018.
- A study has shown that simple code optimizations can reduce the energy consumption of certain applications by up to 50%.
The Green Code, a worldwide movement
The Green Code has developed in all regions of the globe, bringing together companies, governments and individuals around a common goal: to promote a sustainable digital approach. Major technology companies have embraced this philosophy and committed to making their operations eco-responsible. Initiatives include :
- renewable energies to power data centers,
- the design of software optimized for energy consumption,
- and recyclability of electronic devices
Developers play a central role in the practical application of Green Code. They are the artisans of the digital world, creating the software, web and mobile applications and services that shape our connected world. As key players in the movement, developers have the ability to act directly on their code to make technologies more respectful of the environment.
In this article, we explore the green code best practices that developers follow to help reduce carbon emissions and build a greener future.
Green Code best practices for optimizing code
Code optimization is one of the most direct and effective actions taken to reduce the energy consumption of developed applications. The aim is to find ways of improving code efficiency by identifying and eliminating parts that consume resources unnecessarily.
Various code optimization alternatives co-exist:
- Reduce network requests: by minimizing server calls and using compact data formats, applications consume less bandwidth and energy when communicating online.
- Optimize loops and algorithms: try to design more efficient loops and algorithms to accomplish tasks, thus reducing processing time and the load on hardware.
- Efficient memory management: by avoiding memory leaks and freeing up unused resources, developers reduce RAM and energy consumption.
Choosing to code with green technologies
Developers have the power to choose the technologies and tools that have the least impact on the environment, in addition to applying green code best practices on a daily basis. Some development approaches are more energy-efficient than others. For example :
- Eco-responsible programming languages: some programming languages, such as Rust, are designed to be more efficient and energy-saving.
- Use of optimized libraries: libraries and frameworks have been designed for greater environmental efficiency. These include :
- TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers is a lightweight version of the TensorFlow machine learning library.
- React Native offers high performance and efficient use of device energy resources, thanks to its native architecture and rendering.
- But also: GreenSock Animation Platform (GSAP), Flutter, D3.js, Flask, Elm etc.
Other measures in favor of the Green Code are also available, it's just a question of keeping them in mind.
Green energy for infrastructure and application hosting

Use of renewable energies for infrastructure and application hosting @khunkorn
Developers can choose infrastructure and hosting providers that use renewable energy sources and have energy-efficient data centers. Onopia, for example, has a powerful infrastructure that will enable its customers to host their websites with 100% renewable energy.
Choosing an energy-efficient infrastructure helps reduce carbon emissions linked to servers and maintenance operations.
Raising awareness of sustainability

Raising awareness of sustainability @Peshkova
In addition to green code best practices applied directly during programming, developers play a key role in raising awareness of the importance of sustainability among their colleagues and their community. By sharing their knowledge and encouraging good environmental practices, they create a positive impact and foster a culture of sustainable development.
Teleworking and reduced mobility

Adopting teleworking and reducing mobility to combat climate change @RyanKing999
Software development often offers the possibility of working remotely. Developers have the choice of taking advantage of this flexibility to reduce their carbon footprint linked to travel by car or plane.
Telecommuting helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, while improving work-life balance.
The Green Code has a promising future, as it is part of a growing awareness of the environmental impact of technologies. In the coming years, we can expect the Green Code to become an industry standard, with stricter sustainability guidelines and regulations. Governments and technology companies should actively encourage developers to adopt environmentally-friendly practices.
Ultimately, the future of Green Code will depend on our collective commitment to creating a sustainable digital future, where technological innovation and the preservation of our planet go hand in hand. If we continue to promote this vision, Green Code can make a significant contribution to building a greener, more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future for generations to come.
Maltem Consulting Groupe is a committed company. Maltem's commitment is a collective effort. Since 2004, we have been actively supporting several associations and projects each year thanks to the ALDINIE foundation, which has played a key role in the creation of our initiatives.
What's more, thanks to the Mooove program, our teams are mobilized in the field to provide concrete help to people in need. We work in favor of :
- education,
- health,
- the environment,
- the fight against exclusion.
The challenges are many, but our collective is committed and determined to act.
Do you feel that you too have a sense of commitment? Why not join us? Let's discuss your career plans over a cup of coffee.
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