Environment Variables

This Week in Green Software, Kate is joined by Diana Todea to explore how observability can become more sustainable by designing systems with efficiency in mind. They discuss practical ways to cut costs and carbon emissions, avoid telemetry bloat, and build greener observability pipelines from the start. Treating observability as an architectural decision is key to creating more efficient and sustainable software systems.

Learn more about our people:

• Kate Goldenring: LinkedIn | Website
• Diana Todea: LinkedIn | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

Resources:

• The Green Side of Observability - Diana Todea | DevOps.com [01:01]
• Retroactive Sampling with OpenTelemetry | KubeCon Amsterdam 2026 [10:09]
• Observability Is a Mesh, Not a Braid - Diana Todea | Medium [24:54]
• Grafana Mimir [29:47]
• VictoriaMetrics [30:03]
• SCI for Open Telemetry | GSF [33:44]
• Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) | GSF [34:00]
• Green Observability: What Needs to Shuffle in Open Source? - Diana Todea | SCALE [34:41]

Events:

• Sustainable Tech in the Age of AI 29 June 18:00 - Hamburg, Germany [40:59]
• FREE UKSG webinar: Minimising the environmental harm of AI through principle thinking 30 June 13:00 BST - UK, Virtual [41:15]
• Reducing Cost and Carbon 2 July 18:00 Frankfurt, Germany [41:39]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Adams is joined by special guest Dr. Tom Brown from TU Berlin to explore how modelling can help build a fossil free internet and power grid. They discuss Google's 24/7 carbon free energy goals, the growing impact of data centres on electricity systems, and how investments in clean energy technologies could accelerate global decarbonisation. Along the way, Tom shares why open source energy modelling is helping shape a more transparent and sustainable energy future.

Learn more about our people:

• Chris Adams: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Tom Brown: LinkedIn | Bluesky | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

Resources:

• CO2.js | Green Web Foundation [01:08]
• Release Guide: CO2.js v0.18 - Green Web Foundation [01:25]
• Carbon Aware SDK | GSF [01:33]
• CodeCarbon [01:52]
• EcoLogits [01:54]
• PyPSA [03:00]
• https://www.tu.berlin/en/ensys 
• Clean Coffee #1 [05:15]
• European Commission recommends open source tools for hydrogen-related cost-benefit analysis [10:49]
• The Role of Energy Storage in Germany 
• Do renewables make electricity cheaper or more expensive? [20:17]
• The cost of data centre growth in Ireland | Friends of the Earth [22:08]
• 24/7 carbon-free electricity matching accelerates adoption of advanced clean energy technologies | Igor Riepin [23:47]
• EV Ep50 TWiGS: Modeling Carbon Aware Software w/ Igor Riepin [24:32]
• EV Ep31 TWiGS: Code Green and Clean Power w/ Nina Jabłońska 
• EV Ep97 How to Tell When Energy is Green w/ Killian Daley 
• Spatio-temporal load shifting for truly clean computing [27:39]
• On the means, costs, and system-level impacts of 24/7 carbon-free energy procurement [35:46]
• Worked example showing that Anthropic is likely paying around 5000 USD per megawatt hour for compute capacity in the Colossus 1 datacentre [39:39] 
• Neuralwatt Cloud [42:06] 
• Solar and batteries can power the world [44:51]
• Solar electricity every hour of every day is here and it changes everything | Ember [51:32]
• Solar + Battery Atlas 
• Harnessing the Sun | Solar + Battery Atlas 
• model.energy [52:58]
• Scenario Builder (TZ-SB) [53:50]
• Tom Brown LinkedIn Post re: OpenStreetMap [54:51]
• MapYourGrid [56:09]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate and Tzviya explore the Green Web Foundation’s State of the Fossil-free Internet 2026 report and what it reveals about transparency, energy use, and the environmental impact of today’s digital infrastructure. The discussion examines the limitations of carbon accounting practices, the rapid growth of AI-driven data centers, and the role of policy, open source tools, and public accountability in driving meaningful change. They highlight why better measurement, clearer reporting, and greater awareness are essential for building a more sustainable internet.

Learn more about our people:

• Kate Goldenring: LinkedIn | Website
• Tzviya Siegman: LinkedIn | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• State of the Fossil-Free Internet 2026 | Green Web Foundation [01:08]
• How Tech Companies Are Obscuring AI’s Real Carbon Footprint | Bloomberg
• Ep 97: How to Tell When Energy is Green with Killian Daly [06:18] 
• Cloud Sustainability at Scale: Why Open Source Will Define the Next Era of Green Computing [15:53]
• Counting own goals: High-level assessment of the economic relationship between the ICT and the Oil and Gas sectors and its environmental implications [23:20]
• Enabled Eemissions Campaign
• UK quietly increases AI emissions forecast 100-fold | POLITICO [34:54]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in Green Software, hosts Kate and Tzviya explore how green software is moving from theory to practice, highlighting new reference implementations for measuring Software Carbon Intensity in AI workloads and progress toward standardizing SCI for Web. They also examine the growing energy demands of AI and data centers, discuss the role of policy and awareness in driving change, and reflect on why practical tools and real-world examples are essential for turning sustainability goals into everyday engineering decisions.

Learn more about our people:

• Kate Goldenring: LinkedIn | Website
• Tzviya Siegman: LinkedIn | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• Introducing GSF Reference Implementations | Green Software Foundation [04:13]
• An update on SCI for Web - a new standard for measuring software carbon intensity for the Web - Green Web Foundation [11:59] 
• Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) [13:27]
• Scotland’s ‘green datacentres’ policy ignores emissions impact of AI, analysis shows | The Guardian [20:04]
• More than 100 UK datacentres plan to burn gas to generate electricity | The Guardian [21:11] 
• New Gas-Powered Data Centers Could Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Entire Nations | WIRED [24:46]
• Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon back new data center tech accelerator | Latitude Media [26:41] 

Resources:

• Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification | GSF [03:05]
• EV Ep145: Is Using LLMs for Tech Standards Work Actually Greener? (Harmony) [18:51]
• The Turing Lectures: Making AI (truly) sustainable (Dr. Sasha Luccioni) [22:04] 

Events:

• Web Going Green | June 8 at 12:00 pm BST (Edinburgh, hybrid) [34:26]
• Green IO Amsterdam | June 9-10 (Amsterdam) [34:37]
• Green IO - Meetup Community Event | June 9-10 (Amsterdam) [34:53]
• Who's Going to Save Us From the Energy Use of AI? You Are | June 17 at 6:00 pm BST (Brighton, hybrid) [35:04]
• SustainableIT Impact Summit | June 23 (London) [35:15]
•  Lean Agentic AI | June 23 at 6:00 pm CEST (Karlsruhe, hybrid) [35:21]
• Sustainable Tech in the Age of AI | June 29 at 6:00 pm CEST (Hamburg) [35:29]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adi and Valeria return to discuss the latest news from The Week in Green Software. They explore whether sustainability can be built directly into the software development process, from identifying “energy smells” in code to using tools that make energy efficiency as visible as performance or security. They also tackle the growing debate around AI’s environmental impact, examining whether today’s resource-intensive investments can be justified by future benefits, and why better measurement of energy, carbon, and water use is essential for making informed decisions about technology’s role in a sustainable future.

Learn more about our people:

• Aditya Manglik: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Valeria Salis: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Software Energy Smells [02:33]
• The Net Climate Impact of Artificial Intelligence [11:10]
• AI Has an Energy Story. Its Water Story Is Still Being Written [22:11]
• The Cost of Faster and Greener Computing [30:32]
• Sustainability Beyond Carbon Newsletter [32:34]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Adams invites Joseph Cook, Arctic scientist and GSF Head of R&D, to explore the latest developments in green software and the growing pressure on the tech industry to balance innovation with sustainability. From AI and energy use to policy, measurement, and infrastructure, the conversation highlights the challenges behind building a greener digital future while sharing practical insights for developers and organizations navigating this rapidly changing space.

Learn more about our people:

• Chris Adams: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Joseph Cook: LinkedIn | Substack

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

Resources:

• Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification | GSF [00:44]
• SCI-Web documents and consensus so far | GitHub/W3C [02:08]
• Creating a standard for measuring software carbon intensity for the Web 
• Assemblies | Green Software Foundation [02:22]
• Harmony v2 - Equilibrium Line [06:06]
• AI can help humans find common ground in democratic deliberation | Science [07:03]
• Energy and AI – Analysis - IEA [39:28]
• Why Anthropic’s ultra-dirty deal shouldn’t surprise you at all – Ketan Joshi [46:16]
• How NOT to build a data center | Energy, Extended 
• Harmony v2 - Equilibrium Line Substack [51:50]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from Green IO, Tzviya and Kate are joined by Niki Manoledaki and Susannah Hill as they share highlights and key takeaways from the conference, exploring how sustainability is becoming a bigger priority across the tech industry. From practical engineering strategies to broader conversations around AI, infrastructure, and digital responsibility, the episode captures the energy of the event while unpacking what these discussions mean for developers and organizations trying to build greener software.

Learn more about our people:

• Kate Goldenring: LinkedIn | Website
• Tzviya Siegman: LinkedIn | Website
• Niki Manoledaki: LinkedIn | Website
• Susannah Hill: LinkedIn | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

Resources:

• Green IO New York Conference May 13th to 14th 2026 [06:09]
• Shaolei Ren: AI consumes a lot of water — but why? | TED Talk [12:41]
• Kepler | CNCF [15:30]

Events:

• State of the fossil-free Internet: Public Briefing | 27 May 4:00pm CET (Virtual) [47:35]
• Green IO Amsterdam - Where IT leaders tackle Sustainability challenges | 9 Jun 6:00pm CEST (Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam) [48:35]
• Environmental Sustainability TCG | CNCF [47:53]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TWiGS hosts Adi and Valeria explore the latest conversations shaping green software, from the environmental impact of AI and data centers to the growing push for better measurement and accountability in tech. They discuss how developers, companies, and policymakers are responding to rising energy demands, while highlighting practical ideas for building more efficient and sustainable digital systems. It’s a thoughtful look at the challenges behind modern computing and the opportunities to rethink how software is designed and operated.

Learn more about our people:

• Aditya Manglik: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Valeria Salis: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• Built to Measure: How SCI, Impact Framework, and Carmen Make Software Measurable | GSF [02:35] 
• AI, energy, and the new rules of cloud sustainability competition | Computer Weekly [16:41] 
• AI model cards in carbon.txt and an AI Sustainability Directory - Green Web Foundation [30:44] 

Events:

• Call for speakers for Green IO Conferences in 2026 [40:19] 

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Anne Currie chats to Sara Bergman and they unpack the latest developments in green software, exploring how AI growth, infrastructure demands, and policy shifts are reshaping the sustainability conversation. They discuss the real-world impact of energy use, the importance of better measurement and transparency, and the practical steps teams can take to build more efficient systems. It’s a grounded look at the tradeoffs behind modern software and how the industry can move toward more responsible innovation.

Learn more about our people:

• Anne Currie: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Sara Bergman: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• Asynchronous and Unreliable Episode 1 [05:37]
• How to improve AI efficiency beyond cost optimisation | Computer Weekly [09:58]
• Towards Green AI: Decoding the Energy of LLM Inference in Software Development | Arxiv [21:59]
• annecurrie.com [34:02] 
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol changes can bring trust back to climate accounting | Utility Dive [37:44] 
• Green Software Maturity Matrix | GSF [40:22] 
• Where AI Runs Determines Water Stress | ESS Open Archive 

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tzviya Siegman and Kate Goldenring dive into the latest stories shaping green software, from the rising energy demands of AI to the practical tradeoffs developers face when building more efficient systems. They explore new ideas around measuring impact, smarter infrastructure choices, and how industry and policy are starting to respond. The conversation brings together real-world challenges and emerging solutions, showing how sustainability is quickly becoming a core part of modern software development.

Learn more about our people:

• Chris Adams: LinkedIn | GitHub | Website
• Kate Goldenring: LinkedIn | Website
• Tzviya Siegman: LinkedIn | Website

Find out more about the GSF:

• The Green Software Foundation Website 
• Sign up to the Green Software Foundation Newsletter

News:

• 7 Ways to More Frugal AI | BetterTech [02:04]
• Where AI Runs Determines Water Stress | ESS Open Archive [09:54]
• US tech firms successfully lobbied EU to keep datacentre emissions secret | The Guardian [18:14]

Resources:

• The ML.ENERGY Leaderboard [08:04] 
• TWiGS: Who Pays for AI’s Energy Footprint? - Environment Variables Ep133 [09:15]
• TWiGS: Green AI Tradeoffs - Environment Variables Ep139 [20:43]

Events:

• Measuring Software "at Scale" 5 May 6:30 pm CEST (Karlsruhe) [27:53] 
• Call for Speakers | GreenIO [28:13]
• Call for Papers | HotCarbon [28:27]

If you enjoyed this episode then please either:

• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
• Follow and rate on Spotify
• Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
• Connect with us on Twitter, Github and LinkedIn!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.