As the world faces growing environmental challenges and the urgent need to act on climate change, it’s clear that education must play a key role in shaping a more sustainable mindset. One of the most promising ways to do that is through Sustainable EdTech – educational technology that improves how we learn and also considers its impact on the planet.
What is Sustainable EdTech and Why Should We Care?
Sustainable EdTech is all about digital learning tools and platforms that are created and used with the environment in mind. That means trying to cut down on things like energy use, electronic waste, and carbon emissions, while still ensuring that education remains accessible and high-quality for everyone.
When it’s done right, Sustainable EdTech can support both environmental and social progress. It reduces our reliance on printed materials, limits the need for travel, and makes education more accessible, especially for people in remote or underserved areas. But to really make it work, we have to face some real challenges, like the energy demands of data centers, the environmental cost of manufacturing devices, and the digital divide that still leaves many people behind.
Why Sustainability Should Be Part of Education
Teaching students about sustainability is essential if we want to empower them to make better decisions for the planet. But just teaching about the environment isn’t enough – we also need to use tools that reflect those same values. When schools and educators use environmentally conscious technology such as EdTech, it encourages students to develop sustainable habits that can continue beyond their time in school, while also contributing to environmental protection.
By using responsible digital tools, educators model the kind of thoughtful, eco-aware behavior that can inspire the next generation to do the same.
Examples of Eco-Friendly Digital & Educational Tools
Here are a few tools and platforms that are making sustainability a priority:
ECO-FRIENDLY DIGITAL TOOLS:
- Framasoft: A nonprofit offering open-source alternatives for video calls, file sharing, and collaboration. It uses decentralised systems that lower the strain on big data centers.
- Ecosia: A search engine that plants trees with its profits and runs entirely on renewable energy.
- Nextcloud: A self-hosted cloud service that gives schools and organizations more control over their energy use and data privacy.
ECO-FRIENDLY EDUCATIONAL TOOLS:
- Green Coding Platforms: Tools like GreenFrame and EcoCode help developers measure and reduce the carbon footprint of educational websites and apps.
- SolarSPELL: A solar-powered, offline digital library that delivers educational content to communities without internet access, combining tech with renewable energy.
- Open Educational Resources (OERs): Free, openly licensed learning materials that reduce the need for printed textbooks and support fair access to education around the world.
What Needs to Happen Next
For EdTech to truly support a sustainable future, we have to go beyond just moving old practices online. Everyone involved—educators, developers, policymakers—needs to work together to bake sustainability into every part of the process: from how tools are designed and built, to how they’re used and eventually retired.
This means:
- Choosing platforms and services that are energy-efficient.
- Reusing and recycling devices as much as possible.
- Bridging the digital divide, so everyone has access.
- Teaching students not just about sustainable tools, but with them, too.
By supporting and investing in educational technology that’s eco-conscious, inclusive, and accessible, we can help shape a generation of learners who care about the planet and understand their role in protecting it.
These values are at the heart of our Erasmus+ project, In-Digit, which promotes the creation of training centres that embrace both technological innovation and a sustainable ethos. Through this initiative, we aim to equip individuals with the digital competencies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, and empower them to use EdTech in ways that support a more equitable and environmentally conscious future.
Ultimately, this is why we chose to bring together two of the most pressing global issues of our time: education and the future of our planet.
Stay tuned as we continue to develop the In-Digit project with practical resources, toolkits, and training materials that will soon be available to help educators and learners integrate sustainable digital practices into their daily work.