Digital Sustainability Exhibition Resources

The Hidden Cost of Our Digital Lives

When we think about sustainability, we often focus on visible issues such as plastic waste, water waste, transport emissions, and energy use in buildings. Do you know that our digital lives also carry environmental costs. The devices we use daily such as phones, laptops and tablets; the data we store in cloud-based system, SharePoint and more; the videos we stream, and the AI tools we rely on all depend on physical materials, electricity, cooling systems and digital infrastructure (Obringer et al., 2021).

From 1 July 2026 to 30 April 2027, NUS Libraries will present an exhibition in partnership with the SG EcoFund, the Institute of Systems Science (NUS-ISS), NUS University Campus Infrastructure (UCI) - Sustainability Strategic Unit and Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) - NUS.

Therefore, this exhibition explores the emerging theme of digital sustainability – a topic that asks how digital technologies can be managed, used, and sustained responsibly over time. Building on ideas of preservation and stewardship (Bradley, 2007) as well as lifecycle thinking (Kirchherr, et al., 2017), we would like to invite you to look beyond the convenience of digital life and consider the environmental trade-offs behind every day digital habits. 

Start with the main exhibition board (made carboard that sourced from FSC(Forest Stewardship Council)- certified suppliers and can be recycled after use), which encourages visitors to reflect on the unseen impact of their daily digital habits. Through the “Mirror” and an interactive word search activity titled “digital detectives”, you will be introduced to the idea that digital actions are never entirely weightless. Even routine activities such as virtual meetings and increased internet use have environmental consequences that are easy to overlook (MIT News, 2021). At the back of the main board, you will see the hidden resources behind our digital devices. Drawing on research by Malmodin & Lunden (2018), as well as data from Statista, one of the libraries’ subscribed databases, this section highlights the secret carbon footprint inside gadgets such as phones, laptops and other technologies which depend on raw materials, manufacturing, transport and disposal systems long before they ever reach our hands. We created the convenience shop design for the back of the board so to help bringing out the message that convenience often comes with unseen environmental costs, beyond just the price label attached to a product!

From there, the exhibition turns to Everyday Digital Dilemmas, presented through A1 posters that can be reused in future workshops on related topics. Through panels on issues such as print versus e-reading, virtual versus physical travel, AI’s visible and invisible impacts and the carbon footprint of streaming and online meeting, this exhibition highlights that sustainability is rarely straightforward. Digital systems may reduce some forms of consumption, yet they also depend on energy-intensive infrastructure, devices, and global supply chains that carry their own environmental costs.

• Studies on print versus e-reading suggest that environmental outcomes depend on factors such as reading volume, device lifespan and energy sources (Kang et al., 2021; Moberg et al., 2011; Sahli et al., 2026). Research on virtual field trips similarly shows that digital alternatives can improve efficiency, but their benefits depend on how they are designed and used (Pugsley et al., 2024).
• Interestingly with the grown of AI, we would like to examine the double-sided nature of it. AI can support sustainability through optimisation and smarter systems as one of the researcher unbound series workshops on the topic: “Coral Reefs, Communities, and Conservation: The Wallace Line and Beyond” by Gretchen C. Coffman. AI also brings hidden costs linked to energy demand, data centres, carbon emissions, and water consumption (Xiao et al., 2025; Li et al., 2025; Jeanquartier et al., 2026).

As many staff, researchers and students are already contributing to digital sustainability through the system they build, the access they provide, and the innovation research work they conducted, the exhibition widens its focus in the next section to institutions and action. By bringing together NUS research showcases and institutional sustainability efforts, we would like to encourage visitors to reflect on what digital sustainability means in daily life so that each of us can also play a part in making more informed and responsible choices.

The exhibition concludes with practical steps to take away such as proper e-waste recycling and extending the lifespan of electronic devices by practicing 4Rs – reduce, reuse, repair, recycle. In this way, we will leave not only with awareness, but also with ideas for action (National Environment Agency, n.d.).

Part 1: Discovery Desk

Panel 1A : What's the hidden carbon cost of your digital activities.

• Barmotina, A. (2026, January 8). How the publishing industry addresses the carbon footprint of books. Impakter. https://impakter.com/how-publishing-industry-addresses-carbon-footprint-of-books/
• MIT News. (2021, March 4). How to reduce the environmental impact of your next virtual meeting. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://news.mit.edu/2021/how-to-reduce-environmental-impact-next-virtual-meeting-0304
• Obringer, R., Rachunok, B., Maia-Silva, D., Arbabzadeh, M., Nateghi, R., & Madani, K. (2021). The overlooked environmental footprint of increasing Internet use. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 167, Article 105389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105389
• Singapore had 122 more dangerous heat days in 2024 due to climate change. (2024, December 28). The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-experienced-about-122-more-dangerous-heat-days-in-2024-due-to-climate-change
• Your wireless earbuds are trash(Eventually). (2024, April 30). Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/your-wireless-earbuds-are-trash-eventually/

Part 2: The Gadget Garage

Panel 2A : Credits & Resources

Exhibition Credits and Acknowledgements

Organised by NUS Libraries
Supported by SG Eco Fund
With the kind assistance of Dr Gretchen Coffman, SERIS, NUS-ISS, UCI

Team behind the exhibition:

• Project Owner | Natalie Pang Lee San, Lim Siu Chen, Wong Suei Nee, Magdeline
• Content Curation | Lim Siu Chen, Wong Suei Nee
• Copyediting and Design | Marcus Wong, Ahmad Zaki
• Innovations Matrix Team | Steven Chow, Eugene Chen, Niki Koh
• Access Platforms & Resource Management Team | Patrick Pu, Andy Quek, Han Ming Guang, Yuan Ye
• Collections Management & Preservation Team | Herman Felani, Gandhimathy Durairaj, Nur Diyana, Shawn Wongnosari, Gladys Toh

Resources for Digital Sustainabillity

• Digital Tech for Sustainability Playbook (IMDA) https://www.imda.gov.sg/about-imda/research-and-statistics/support-for-industry-sectors/built-environment/digital-technologies-for-sustainability
• Berners-Lee, M. (2010). How bad are bananas? The carbon footprint of everything. Greystone Books. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b3323730 (NUS Libraries Collection) 
• Berners-Lee, M. (2021). There is no planet B: A handbook for the make or break years (Updated ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4286405 (NUS Libraries Collection)
• Berners-Lee, M. (2021). There is no planet B: A handbook for the make or break years (Updated ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4286405 (NUS Libraries Collection)
• Conway, E. (2023). Material world: The six raw materials that shape modern civilization. Alfred A. Knopf. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4738242 (NUS Libraries Collection)
• Leonard, A., Conrad, A. (2010). The story of stuff: How our obsession with stuff is trashing the planet, our communities, and our health—and a vision for change. Free Press. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b2722878 (NUS Libraries Collection)
• Ritchie, H. (2024). Not the end of the world: How we can be the first generation to build a sustainable planet. Little, Brown Spark. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4702629 (NUS Libraries Collection)
• Suleyman, M., with Bhaskar, M. (2023). The coming wave: Technology, power, and the twenty-first century’s greatest dilemma. Bodley Head. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4737936 (NUS Libraries Collection)

To learn more about the sustainability efforts in Singapore,here are the resources available on the web:

• SG EcoFund: https://www.mse.gov.sg/take-action/sgecofund/  
• Singapore Green Plan 2023: https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/
• Go Green SG:  https://www.gogreen.gov.sg/
• Clean & Green Singapore: https://www.cgs.gov.sg/
• NUS Sustainability: https://sustainability.nus.edu.sg/
• Building Sustainable Libraries at NUS: https://nus.edu.sg/nuslibraries/sustainability

Panel 2B : Secret Carbon Footprint Activities

• Malmodin, J., & Lundén, D. (2018). The energy and carbon footprint of the global ICT and e&m sectors 2010–2015. Sustainability, 10(9), 3027. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093027
• Statista. (2024, July 23). The carbon footprint of your devices [Chart]. https://www.statista.com/chart/32690/estimated-life-cycle-greenhouse-gas-emissions-of-electronic-devices/
• Wholegrain Digital. (n.d.). Digital Declutter: For Individuals. https://www.wholegraindigital.com/declutter/#for-people
• Wholegrain Digital. (n.d.). Digital declutter toolkit.  https://www.wholegraindigital.com/digitaldeclutter/#personal-actions

Part 3: Dilemma Drive

Poster 3-1: What's More Eco-friendly: Print or e-Reading?

• Kang, Q., Lu, J., & Xu, J. (2021). Is e-reading environmentally more sustainable than conventional reading? Evidence from a systematic literature review. Library & Information Science Research, 43(3), 101105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2021.101105
• Moberg, Å., Borggren, C., & Finnveden, G. (2011). Books from an environmental perspective—Part 2: E-books as an alternative to paper books. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 16, 238–246. https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1007/s11367-011-0255-0
• Sahli, M., Bieser, J., Chenoweth, J., Love, J., Lin, M., Martens, M., Pennock, M., & Pottgiesser, U. (2026). Does the digitalization of the book industry reduce its environmental impact? Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 22, 100440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2026.100440

Poster 3-2: Field Trips - Should We Stay or Should We Go?

• Mulligan, C. (2026). What do we mean by digital sustainability? LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-do-we-mean-digital-sustainability-catherine-mulligan-ph-d-fhea-lk4je
• NUS Libraries. (2026). Researcher unbound+: Coral reefs communities and conservation: The Wallace Line and beyond [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySntZiut1bQ
• Pugsley, J. H., Howell, J. A., Hartley, A. J., Buckley, S. J., Chmielewska, M., Naumann, N., Schofield, N. J., & Brackenridge, R. (2024). Quantifying virtual field trip efficiency. PFG – Journal of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Science, 92(6), 679–690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41064-024-00321-y
• Ren, J.W.F. and Coffman, G.C. (2023) Integrating the resilience concept into ecosystem restoration. Restoration Ecology, 31(5), e13907. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13907
  

Poster 3-3: The AI-ceberg of Digital Sustainability

• Suleyman, M., & Bhaskar, M. (2023). The coming wave: Technology, power, and the twenty-first century’s greatest dilemma. The Crown Publishing Group. https://linc.nus.edu.sg/record=b4737936(NUS Libraries Collection)
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2023, November 10). Artificial intelligence – A blessing or a curse for sustainable development? https://www.un.org/en/desa/artificial-intelligence-blessing-or-curse-sustainable-development

Positive Effects

• Google. (2021, November). Google Maps eco-friendly routing: How it works. https://sustainability.google/reports/google-maps-eco-friendly-routing/
• Google. (n.d.). Tips to save even more with your Nest thermostat. Google Store. https://store.google.com/us/magazine/google-nest-thermostat-energy-savings?hl=en-US
• Olio. (n.d.). Olio: Your local go-to for free food (and more). Retrieved May 15, 2026, from https://olioapp.com/en/

Negative Effects

• Slattery, P., Saeri, A. K., Grundy, E. A. C., Graham, J., Noetel, M., Uuk, R., Dao, J., Pour, S., Casper, S., & Thompson, N. (2026). The AI risk repository: A meta-review, database, and taxonomy of risks from artificial intelligence. Patterns, 7(5), 101517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patter.2026.101517

Invisible Impacts

• Adapted from Innes, C. (2026, April 21). JISC digital sustainability newsletter #19. Infrastructure. https://infrastructure.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2026/04/21/jisc-digital-sustainability-newsletter-19/
• Jeanquartier, F., Jean-Quartier, C., Rieder, P., Misirlić, V., Pasero, C., Hohensinner, R., Müller, H., & Holzinger, A. (2026). Assessing the carbon footprint of language models: Towards sustainability in AI. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 226, 108670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108670
• Kosmyna, N., Hauptmann, E., Yuan, Y. T., Situ, J., Liao, X.-H., Beresnitzky, A. V., Braunstein, I., & Maes, P. (2025). Your brain on chatgpt: Accumulation of cognitive debt when using an ai assistant for essay writing task. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2506.08872
• Kshetri, N. (2026, January 21). Despite its steep environmental costs, AI might also help save the planet. The Conversation.https://theconversation.com/despite-its-steep-environmental-costs-ai-might-also-help-save-the-planet-272474
• Kudina, O., van Uffelen, N., Lauwaert, L., & Landuyt, W. (2026). The ethics in sustainable AI: A scoping literature review on normativity in the academic discourse on the environmental sustainability of AI. AI & SOCIETY. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-026-02910-4
• Li P, Yang J, Islam MA, Ren S (2025) Making AI less “thirsty”: uncovering and addressing the secret water footprint of AI models. Commun ACM 68(7):54–61 https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3724499
• Nassar, D., & Bashroush, R. (2026). Toward a more effective and comprehensive assessment of data center environmental impact. IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Computing, 11(2), 187–198. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSUSC.2026.3666670
• Marinoni, A., Cambria, E., Lin, W., Mura, M. D., Chanussot, J., Ragusa, E., Tso, C. Y., Zhu, Y., & Horton, B. (2026). The data heat island effect: Quantifying the impact of AI data centers in a warming world (arXiv:2603.20897). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.20897
• Verma & Tan (2024). A Bottle of water per email: the hidden environmental costs of using AI chatbots. Washington Post.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/energy-ai-use-electricity-water-data-centers/
• Xiao, T., Nerini, F. F., Matthews, H. D., Tavoni, M., & You, F. (2025). Environmental impact and net-zero pathways for sustainable artificial intelligence servers in the USA. Nature Sustainability, 8(12), 1541–1553. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01681-y

Small Steps you Can Take to Reduce AI’s Energy Use

• Winston, A. (2026, March 24). AI uses a lot of energy. Some of it is our fault. [Substack newsletter]. Andrew Winston. https://andrewswinston.substack.com/p/ai-uses-a-lot-of-energy-some-of-it

Easy Steps you Can Take To Mitigate Impacts of AI on Learning

• NUS Libraries (n.d.). Libguides: Library essentials: AI guidelines. Retrieved 23 April 2026, from https://libguides.nus.edu.sg/new2nus/ai_guidelines_infographics
  

Poster 3-4: Chat, Video or Voice?

• Hölzle, U. (2009, January 12). Powering a Google search. Official Google Blog. https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/powering-google-search.html
• Jungblut, S.-I. (2025, July 16). Green streaming? We need to talk about Netflix, Prime and Co. RESET. https://en.reset.org/green-streaming-we-need-to-talk-about-netflix-prime-and-co/
• Khan, S. (2026, June 29). How to reduce your digital carbon footprint. Planet Pulse. https://planetpulse.blog/2026/06/29/how-to-reduce-your-digital-carbon-footprint/
• Lannelongue, L., Grealey, J., Batut, B., et al. (2024). Environmental impacts of artificial intelligence are difficult to estimate. Scientific Reports, 14, Article 3732. https://www-nature-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/articles/s41598-024-54271-x
• Mortas, F. (2026). Assessing the carbon footprint of virtual meetings: A quantitative analysis of camera usage (Version 2) [Preprint]. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/html/2601.06045v2
• Obringer, R., Rachunok, B., Maia-Silva, D., Arbabzadeh, M., Nateghi, R., & Madani, K. (2021). The overlooked environmental footprint of increasing Internet use. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 167, Article 105389. (Supplementary Material)  https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/science/article/pii/S0921344920307072?via%3Dihub
• Istrate, R., Tulus, V., Grass, R. N., Vanbever, L., Stark, W. J., & Guillén-Gosálbez, G. (2024). The environmental sustainability of digital content consumption. Nature Communications, 15(1), 3724. https://pmc-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/articles/PMC11066053/
• Thibault, T., Mosesso, L., Adam, C., Tabard, A., Beignon, A., & Maudet, N. (2025). Environmental (In)considerations in the design of smartphone settings. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2507.19094
• Vanderbauwhede, W. (2025). Estimating the increase in emissions caused by AI-augmented search (Version 2) [Preprint]. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/html/2407.16894v2
• Wiles, K. (2021, January 14). Turn off that camera during virtual meetings, environmental study says. Purdue University News. https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/archive/releases/2021/Q1/turn-off-that-camera-during-virtual-meetings,-environmental-study-says.html
• Wholegrain Digital. (n.d.). Digital declutter toolkit. https://www.wholegraindigital.com/digitaldeclutter/#personal-actions
• Wholegrain Digital. (n.d.). Digital declutter guide. https://www.wholegraindigital.com/digitaldeclutter/#video-calls-streaming

Part 4: Innovation Boulevard

Poster 4-1: Libraries & Digital Sustainability

• Badolato, J., Bang, P., & Overeem, T. (2024, October 7). Improving compute sustainability: A case study. Two Sigma. https://www.twosigma.com/articles/improving-compute-sustainability-a-case-study/
• Bradley, K. (2007). Defining digital sustainability. Library trends, 56(1), 148-163.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2024, August 17). https://hdl.handle.net/2142/3772
• Green Software Foundation. (2023, May 17). How Intesa and NTT Data measure software carbon footprint and carbon intensity. https://greensoftware.foundation/articles/how-intesa-and-ntt-data-measure-energy-consumption-of-software
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2024, August 17). Using digital scholarship to advance the Sustainable Development Goals – How can libraries contribute? https://www.ifla.org/news/using-digital-scholarship-to-advance-the-sustainable-development-goals-how-can-libraries-contribute/

Poster 4-2: There’s a Part for Everyone

• NUS-ISS. (n.d.). Digital sustainability. Retrieved July 8, 2026, from https://www.iss.nus.edu.sg/executive-education/discipline/digital-sustainability
• NUS Libraries. (2026, March 3). Coral reefs, communities, and conservation: The Wallace line and beyond. https://nus.edu.sg/nuslibraries/researcher-unbound/current-workshops/coral-reefs--communities--and-conservation--the-wallace-line-and-beyond
• Prentice, A., Reynolds, E., & Ramon, E. P. (2021). Climate crisis for beginners. Usborne Publishing.
• Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore. (n.d.). Home. https://www.seris.nus.edu.sg/
• University Campus Infrastructure. (n.d.). Home . Retrieved July 8, 2026, from https://uci.nus.edu.sg/

Poster 4-3: Power to the People!

• Caduto, M. J. (2011). Catch the wind, harness the sun: 22 super-charged projects for kids. Storey Publishing.Prentice, A., Reynolds, E., & Ramon, E. P. (2021). Climate crisis for beginners. Usborne Publishing.
• Climate Friendly Households. (n.d.). Climate Friendly Households. Retrieved July 8, 2026, from https://www.climate-friendly-households.gov.sg/
• Climate Friendly Households Programme. (n.d.). Climate Friendly Households Programme. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency/household-sector
• Flo Energy Singapore. (n.d.). Green energy in Singapore: How homeowners can join the clean power movement. https://floenergy.sg/blog/green-energy-in-singapore-for-homeowners
• Land Transport Authority. (n.d.). Electric vehicles. https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/industry_innovations/technologies/electric_vehicles.html
• Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. (2026, April 8). Let’s save energy together. https://www.mse.gov.sg/save-energy/
• National Environment Agency. (n.d.). Household sector. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/climate-change-energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency/household-sector

Poster 4-4: Giving New Life to Older Knowledge

• Adetayo AJ, Enamudu AI, Lawal FM, Odunewu AO (2024), "From text to video with AI: the rise and potential of Sora in education and libraries". Library Hi Tech News, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1108/LHTN-02-2024-0028
• Çelik, A., Özdemir, S. Exploring how the different experimental paths of students with a 3D printer change their tinkering learning. Instr Sci 53, 391–428 (2025). https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1007/s11251-024-09691-7
• Stănică, I.-C., Boiangiu, C.-A., & Tăut, C. (2025). Empowering culture and education through digital content creation, preservation, and dissemination. Sustainability, 17(11), Article 4842. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114842 
• Mishra, R. K., & Bhaduri, S. (2026). Technopolitics of tinkering and the ‘new’ innovation economy: Insights from India. Innovation and Development. Advance online publication. https://www-tandfonline-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/doi/full/10.1080/2157930X.2026.2640738#abstract 
• Wang, M., Liu, S., Hu, L., & Lee, J.-Y. (2023). A Study of Metaverse Exhibition Sustainability on the Perspective of the Experience Economy. Sustainability, 15(12), 9153. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129153

Part 5: The Action Arena

Poster 5-1: Smarter Buildings for a Brighter Future

Singapore Green Building Council. (n.d.). Carbon in the built environment. Retrieved July 8, 2026, from https://www.sgbc.sg/carbon-resources/

Poster 5-2: A Second Life for Your Electronics

• ALBA E-Waste Singapore. (n.d.). Singapore e-waste collection & recycling program. https://alba-ewaste.sg/
• National Environment Agency. (n.d.). E-waste management. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/e-waste-management
• National Environment Agency. (n.d.). Where to recycle e-waste. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/e-waste-management/where-to-recycle-e-waste

Digital Detectives

Digital Detectives invites participants to explore key ideas related to digital sustainability through an engaging word search. The terms below highlight important environmental, social and technological concepts featured across the exhibition panels