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September 2023 Meetups: State of Green Software

Owned by Adam Jackson (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 2023-09-01
4 min read

In September 2023 our meetup suggestion is to do a panel-based recap of the State of Green Software report. Please note: this guide is just a suggestion if you haven’t already got ideas for this month. You can use these materials at any time.

Resources:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xLAeF205SIQqAmJL26l8j3qPHQmzXZS4eGAxMTIV7NA/edit?usp=sharing (Google Slides) - please download and adapt as necessary

SOGS PowerPoint

Word Doc (of this Guide)

Introduction

Green software is software that has a minimal impact on the environment, either by reducing its energy consumption, carbon emissions, or waste generation. Green software is becoming more important as software accounts for a significant and growing share of the world’s carbon footprint. According to researchers, software is expected to account for 14% of the world’s carbon footprint by 2040.

The Green Software Foundation (GSF) is a non-profit organisation that aims to create a trusted ecosystem of people, standards, tooling, and best practices for building green software. The GSF has recently released the 2023 State of Green Software (SOGS) report, the first-ever analysis of green software, globally and across industries. The report shares 30 insights into trends, challenges, and opportunities to increase investment in green software and the wide-scale adoption of tools and principles to reduce software’s harmful effects on the environment.

The SOGS report is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about green software and how to apply it in their own projects. The report covers topics such as:

  • The definition and benefits of green software

  • The current state and future outlook of green software adoption across industries and regions

  • The main challenges and barriers to green software development and deployment

  • The best practices and tools for measuring, improving, and communicating the environmental impact of software

  • The policy and regulatory frameworks that influence green software

  • The success stories and use cases of green software in various domains

The report also provides recommendations and action items for different stakeholders, such as developers, managers, policymakers, researchers, educators, and consumers.

Meetup Objectives

The main objectives of organising a meetup based on the SOGS report are:

  • To raise awareness and educate the local software community about green software and its importance for sustainability

  • To share the key findings and insights from the SOGS report and how they relate to the local context

  • To facilitate networking and collaboration among like-minded individuals and organisations who are interested in or working on green software projects

  • To inspire and motivate participants to take action and apply green software principles and practices in their own work

Meetup Format

A possible format for a meetup based on the SOGS report is:

  • A brief introduction of the meetup organisers, sponsors, and agenda

  • A keynote presentation by a guest speaker who is an expert or a leader in green software (e.g., a GSF member, a SOGS report contributor, a green software practitioner or researcher)

  • A panel discussion with 3-4 speakers who represent different perspectives or experiences on green software (e.g., a developer, a manager, a designer, a PM)

  • A Q&A session where participants can ask questions to the speakers or share their own thoughts or feedback

  • A networking break where participants can mingle with each other and exchange contacts or ideas

  • A closing remark by the meetup organisers with a summary of the main takeaways and a call to action

Meetup Panel Agendas

Based on the SOGS report, some possible panel agendas for a meetup are:

  • Green Software: What, Why, and How? This panel can provide an overview of the concept and definition of green software, its benefits and challenges, and its current state and future trends. The speakers can also share their own experiences or examples of applying green software principles or practices in their projects or organisations.

  • Green Software Across Industries: Opportunities and Challenges This panel can explore how different industries or sectors are adopting or adapting to green software, what are the drivers or barriers for doing so, and what are the best practices or lessons learned. The speakers can also discuss how their industry or sector is affected by or contributes to the environmental impact of software.

  • Green Software Tools: Measuring, Improving, and Communicating Impact This panel can showcase some of the tools or frameworks that are available or under development for measuring, improving, or communicating the environmental impact of software. The speakers can also demonstrate how they use these tools or frameworks in their own work or projects.

  • Green Software Policy: Regulations, Standards, and Incentives This panel can examine how policy or regulatory frameworks influence or support green software development or deployment. The speakers can also share their views on what are the current gaps or needs in this area, and what are the potential solutions or recommendations.

  • Green Software Success Stories: Use Cases and Best Practices This panel can highlight some of the success stories or use cases of green software in various domains or applications. The speakers can also share their best practices or tips for developing or deploying green software solutions.

Meetup Resources

The following resources can help meetup organisers plan and prepare for their event: