Digital Sobriety Statement
The environmental repercussions of digital technologies are disastrous.
As an outdoor enthusiast, I am concerned about the environmental footprint of my activities and actively seek ways to minimize it. The concept of digital sobriety resonates with me: It encourages us to use technology more thoughtfully and responsibly. The section below outlines how I apply the concept in my professional life.
A simple website
As a self-employed professional, I don’t require a website with all the bells and whistles. Here are some ecodesign principles that guided me when crafting my website:
- Simple graphic design
- Few images and small files
- Absence of videos, animations and pop-ups
- No non-essential cookies
- Data hosting on Canadian servers powered by hydroelectric energy
- Use of a hosting company that demonstrates transparency regarding its environmental footprint. Find out more.
Videoconferencing: a necessary evil
Video conferencing saves us time, but the carbon footprint is considerable. Just because we’ve replaced our travel with on-screen meetings doesn’t mean we are polluting less! In my pursuit of digital sobriety, I have opted for Crewdle, a Quebec-based solution that uses peer-to-peer technology to reduce the distance of data flows. Find out more.
Sparing use of AI
I am in favour of a cautious use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly given its significant carbon footprint and the still underdeveloped ethical framework surrounding its development. Moreover, through repeated experience editing and rewriting AI-generated content, I have come to the conclusion that technology cannot match human judgment in terms of critical thinking, depth, authenticity, cultural sensitivity and writing standards.
What does my use of AI look like?
- I regularly use Antidote to proofread my own texts and those of my clients. This Quebec-based writing tool has recently been equipped with its own artificial intelligence technology, developed and hosted in Montreal, designed to refine the editing process. Please note that data used by Antidote is never shared publicly. Find out more.
- Occasionally, I use Claude (from Anthropic) to brainstorm and to think about the structure of certain types of content. As the manager of my web page, I also sometimes use it to troubleshoot programming.
- I never provide confidential data to the AI.
- I never copy-paste any content produced by generative AI. The texts I submit were written, revised and translated by me.
Interested in learning more about digital sobriety?
Here are a few publications that have informed my thinking:
Sobriété numérique : principes et enjeux (Université de Montréal, February 2025)
Référentiel de bonnes pratiques en sobriété numérique (HEC, September 2025)