Community post by Michel Murabito

Today, on the 9th of October, the CNCF Cloud Native Sustainability Week kicks off with a series of global events organized by the cloud native community, dedicated to highlighting the importance of environmental sustainability. It’s a week of sharing reflections, participating in engaging discussions, and being part of impactful initiatives, featuring a diverse array of local and virtual meetups, daily live streams and blog posts. This is your chance to learn more about cloud native environmental sustainability and take meaningful actions towards a more sustainable future!

Find the closest in-person event to you here, dive into our virtual events here [1][2], or check out the other blog posts here. Your participation makes a difference. Let’s commit together to a more sustainable IT future! 🌍🌱💻

Tech meets green: sustainable IT solutions for the future

Sustainability, while a broad societal concept, has gained traction in the IT sector, prompting us to reconsider our practices. The IT sector has a significant environmental footprint due to its widespread use. By supporting renewable energy-driven cloud services and promoting effective electronic recycling, we can direct the IT industry towards a more sustainable path. The CNCF TAG Environmental Sustainability (TAG ENV) was formed as a technical advisory group to address some of these challenges, with a focus on the cloud native realm. The CNCF Cloud Native Sustainability Week emerged as a TAG ENV project, bringing the community together to spotlight the need for a more sustainable approach to cloud native application development.

At the heart of this event is the TAG ENV, focusing on reducing the environmental impact of the cloud native technologies, while also emphasizing the importance of measuring and enhancing the IT sector’s sustainability footprint. Cloud native applications, emblematic of this concern, are deployed in data centers and consume substantial energy resources.

Being an integral part of the CNCF, the TAG ENV has the unique opportunity to directly influence and enhance the sustainability posture of the projects within the CNCF landscape, thereby directly impacting software being deployed across a multitude of industries and systems.

Digital age: global gatherings for sustainability

The CNCF Sustainability Week is an event that combines in-person meetups with virtual sessions, allowing participants from all over the world to join, learn, and collaborate regardless of their geographical location.

In-person events are hosted by CNCF community groups in cities across the globe, showcasing the worldwide commitment to sustainability. These gatherings provide the unique opportunity to directly interact with industry experts, share experiences, and build personal relationships with other professionals with a shared interest in sustainability in the cloud native world. Attending a local event allows for a deep understanding of specific regional challenges and solutions.

On the other hand, virtual events offer flexibility and accessibility. Primarily organized by the CNCF Environmental Sustainability Technical Advisory Group (TAG ENV), these webinars and online sessions allow anyone to participate, regardless of their location. These events highlight the latest research, trends, and solutions in the field of cloud native sustainability and represent a crucial opportunity for global learning and collaboration.

Regardless of the chosen format, whether it’s an in-person event or a virtual session, each event is designed to promote knowledge sharing and inspire concrete actions towards greater sustainability in the cloud native space.

Navigating the Sustainability Week: Events & Updates

To ensure that participants have easy access to all event information, we’ve compiled a list of the key activities below. Additionally, you can find a detailed schedule and more events on the Events Page

For any specific queries or if you need additional information, the fastest way to get feedback would be to ask a question in #tag-environmental-sustainability channel in CNCF Slack. Also, feel free to reach out to our organizing team through the contact section on the respective event pages. We’re here to assist and ensure you have a seamless experience during the CNCF Sustainability Week.

Your voice is significant for the greener future

In a dynamic and rapidly evolving ecosystem like cloud native, every voice and action matter. Your participation, feedback, and involvement can make a difference in shaping a sustainable future for the IT industry. That’s why your contribution is so vital.

  1. Active Participation:
    • Connect and Collaborate: Attending both in-person and virtual events provides an opportunity to connect with industry experts and fellow professionals who share your passion. These interactions can inspire new ideas, kick-start collaborations, and lead to innovative solutions.
    • Share Your Experience: Every attendee brings a unique perspective. By sharing your experiences, challenges, and successes, you enrich the discussion and help the community grow and learn.
    • Become an Advocate: Active participation isn’t limited to just events. You can become an ambassador for sustainability in your work environment, your local community, and online, helping to spread the significance of the subject.
  2. Feedback and Contributions:
    • Voice to the Community: CNCF TAG Environmental Sustainability values feedback. Sharing your insights can assist in enhancing the quality of sustainability-related events and initiatives.
    • Direct Insights: Providing feedback based on your hands-on experience offers a viewpoint that can contribute to incremental improvements.
    • Together for Growth: Positive and constructive contributions help the community advance and emphasize the importance of sustainability.
  3. Ongoing Involvement:
    • Beyond Sustainability Week: Your passion for sustainability shouldn’t be confined to just one week. The industry needs driven individuals to champion sustainability all year round.
    • Initiatives and Projects: Consider starting or joining sustainability-related projects. These can range from simple local initiatives to major global-scale projects.
    • Support Network: By continuing to engage with the CNCF and the TAG ENV community and other professionals, you build a support network. This network can back your initiatives and ensure your commitment makes a lasting impact.

Your contribution can light the way to a more sustainable future. Never underestimate the power you hold in creating a positive impact.

Green tomorrow: act today!

The CNCF Sustainability Week is our shared call to action. While it’s a significant moment to connect and reflect, real change requires year-round dedication. Remember, sustainability isn’t a one-time action; it’s a lifestyle that pushes us toward a brighter, greener IT horizon.

As we gear up for the CNCF Sustainability Week, always know: your actions and thoughts have weight. This week is a milestone, but the journey, the real work, stretches beyond. Dive into the events during the week, but let’s keep that green spirit alive every day after.

Dive deeper into our mission. Explore the events and join the community. Let’s craft a brighter, greener future for cloud native technologies. We’re in this together, and we can’t wait to see where you take us.