It’s a Wrap!
When I launched my new venture this year, I had no idea of what to expect. It has been a journey of discovery in so many ways. Not only did I embark on a new path in sustainability, but I also had to figure out a business model and product portfolio that would sustain my operations. All in all, it’s a satisfying trip that continues to engage so many new parts of my brain and senses!
I appreciate all the opportunities to talk on this topic over the year. From virtual events to in-person ones, I am grateful to all those who invited me. The biggest take-away for me this year was understanding the complexity of the sustainability topic and how many are still unfamiliar with the basics. But that’s ok, because there is a lot of interest in learning and working together through the topic to improve our situation. It shows me that the industry does care about the topic and how best to understand what it means to operate successfully with an integrated sustainability plan.
A collection of the 2022 conference badges for Kibo121.
At the turn of every year, we are bombarded with the “best of” lists as well as the top things to look forward to in the coming new year. What was your favorite movie, book, television series of 2022? And what technology are we going to be watching in the coming year? My best of list includes a Finnish crime series, Deadwind, and the new Barbara Kingsolver novel, Demon Copperhead. But mostly, my 2022 was consumed by various knitting projects. 😉
For the future, I am keen to see the sustainability topic gain more and more mainstream attention. It’s not just in the tech scene, but in everyday life where we are being presented with sustainability messaging. And I think that’s a very good thing. Not only is my airline telling me the carbon cost of a flight, but the backpack I just bought included a statement on sustainability, too. The more we consumers see these messages, I believe we will be more aware and will seek out those who do a better job at reducing carbon emissions. Slowly, but surely, the consumer mindset will shift. Coupled with a new generation of young people who regard climate change as the most important issue of their lifetimes, sustainability will only increase in our collective consciousness, requiring us to take action. You will have choices.
Sustainability and climate change will also play an increasing role in how the media tech business runs. Awareness to the complexity of sustainability is increasing. We see cloud providers using their carbon emissions improvements as key selling attributes. We know that publicly-held companies – streamers, studios and broadcasters – are asking their vendors to supply sustainability metrics as part of requests for proposals. Sustainability will become a deciding factor in business.
It’s all a movement in the right direction. Thankfully, though, there is a lot still to do. Increasing the awareness of the topic remains a high priority, and industry standards are still lacking for many parts of the sustainability ecosystem.
I am looking forward to 2023 and the projects that lie ahead. I am working on a few industry efforts, including the newly established NAB Show Excellence in Sustainability Awards, as well as an advisory role at the Greening of Streaming. In addition to these, I’ll be actively working with companies on their Sustainability Action Plans (don’t forget yours!), and other exciting news.
I look forward to working with the industry for a brighter, and more sustainable, future. Happy New Year!
