Responsible and sustainable content practices

Written By Rich Endean

Rhia Weston - Chair (UK)

Nicholas Paries (Portugal)

David Salisbury (Switzerland)

Alisa Bonsignore (USA)

Joyce Peralta (Canada)

With increasing urgency regarding the world's approach to energy production and consumption, in recent years greater scrutiny has turned towards the impact of digital technologies on the planet.

While 20 years ago, digital content might have been the "green" alternative to print, now the volume of digital content that we produce is not proving to be the sustainable environmental solution we hoped for.

In this session our panellists will explore the impact of content practices on the environment, and the ways in which we can become smarter and more responsible for the cost to our planet.

Rhia Weston (Chair) is a content designer by trade and an environmentalist by necessity. She is a Service Owner at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and previously managed websites in the higher education sector and for charities.

After working in content for over 10 years, Rhia realised the digital world contributes to climate change through its dependence on vast quantities of energy. She realised she could do something about it and play her part in tackling climate change, so she speaks and writes on the topic of digital sustainability to raise awareness. 

In her free time, Rhia volunteers with various sustainability groups, grows her own food, and runs, swims or cycles.

  • Languages spoken: English, Portuguese, French

  • A global problem that you would love to solve: Get more people active and healthy and connected to nature

  • Something that you can’t be without: Chocolate

Nicolas Paries is a Digital designer, developer and the founder of Hey Low, a digital studio designing low-carbon websites to support those dedicated to social and environmental justice. Based in Portugal. 

  • Languages spoken: French, English and a bit of Portuguese

  • A global problem that you would love to solve: Food system

  • Something that you can’t be without: Music

David Salisbury has a 20+ years working in e-retail. He believes data and storytelling can bring about sustained organic growth online. David has a passion for digital projects and the potential they have for innovation for teams, organisations and the future. On a personal note he is a father of a young family and lives in Switzerland.

  • Languages spoken: English, German

  • A global problem that you would love to solve: Extremism of thought and action. I would like to live in a world where we share common sense to better the planet for future generations.

  • Something that you can’t be without: Friends.

Alisa Bonsignore develops sustainable content strategies for global clients who use her pioneering metrics to measure and mitigate the carbon footprint of their digital information. Her peer-reviewed published research is the result of asking questions, connecting dots, and coming to inconvenient conclusions about the impact of the work that she’d been doing since the dawn of the internet. She is an Associate Fellow of the Society for Technical Communication, a Certified Master Gardener specializing in xeriscaping, and keynote speaker. She is a research nerd, an avid reader, and a crochet enthusiast who is taller than she appears on Zoom.

  • Languages spoken: English

  • A global problem that you would love to solve: The carbon footprint of digital content (but I’m working on it!)

  • Something that you can’t be without: Pen and paper

Joyce Peralta has been building websites and digital communities for over 20 years. Her experience includes strategic positions on communications and marketing, and information technology teams at a number of universities including the University of Victoria, Western University and Kings University College.

Joyce is currently Manager, Digital Communications at McGill University, in Montreal, Canada. In this role, she initiates and leads strategic projects aimed at affecting institution-wide change in areas related to digital governance, awareness of strategic goals, adherence to related best practices, and community growth.

Joyce is an award-winning speaker who has presented at numerous conferences including DrupalCon, Confoo, HighEdWeb and #PSEWeb. She's also had the honour of holding leadership positions in various professional associations including #PSEWEB, HighEdWeb, and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

  • Languages spoken: English, French

  • A global problem that you would love to solve: Access to education for all

  • Something that you can’t be without: My favourite travel mug

Rich Endean
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The future of content marketing