Sustainable technology

Sustainable technology asks not only whether a device works but whether it can work without consuming what it needs to continue working. The circular economy, the right to repair, low-energy design — these are engineering choices and also philosophical ones about how much we are willing to take from the future in order to have convenience now.

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95 concepts

Appropriate Technology Scale Balance and the Middle Way of Energy Use Balance Through Constraint Complementary Opposition in Design Cycles of Regeneration Cyclical Metabolism Instead of Linear Extraction Cyclical Time and Tech Obsolescence Cyclical Time Versus Linear Progress Embracing Constraints as Design Parameters Emptiness as Functional Necessity Emptiness as Functional Resource Emptiness as Infrastructure Capacity Emptiness as Technological Capacity Empty Vessel Principle in User Interface Flow State and Energy Optimization Flow State and Resource Efficiency Flow State in Energy Systems Flow State Infrastructure Flowing Against the Clock: Technology Time Cycles Graceful Degradation and Resilience Hidden Strength Through Simplicity Interdependence Over Independence Inversion Logic for Problem-Solving Knowing When to Not Act Knowing When to Stop Building Material Flow and Circularity Metabolic Alignment with Bioregions Natural Alignment of Incentives Non-Action in Design Systems Non-Action in Infrastructure Design Non-Action in Tech Design Non-Intervention in Natural Processes Non-Intervention Maintenance Philosophy Paradox of Resource Scarcity Paradox of Sustainable Consumption Qi Flow in Data Architecture Reciprocal Flow Between Humans and Systems Reciprocity in Resource Extraction Return and Restoration Cycles Return to Root Practice Returning Cycles: Circular Material Flow Returning to Root: Circular Material Flows Reverse Engineering Needs Reverse Entropy and Regeneration Reverse Entropy Through Natural Systems Shadow Costs and Hidden Tao Shadow Side and Hidden Costs Simplicity as Radical Act Simplicity Through Refinement Soft Systems Resilience Strategic Emptiness and Spare Capacity Sufficiency and the Principle of Enough Te: The Virtue of Technology's Nature Temporal Alignment and Rhythms Temporal Alignment with Natural Cycles Temporal Cycles and Hardware Lifecycles Temporal Flow and Resource Cycles Temporal Flow and Technology Lifecycles Temporal Flow in Tech Lifecycles Temporal Layering in Infrastructure Temporal Sovereignty and Device Lifespan Temporal Stillness in Speed Temporal Sufficiency and Long-term Thinking The Emptiness of Connected Interfaces The Emptiness of Planned Obsolescence The Gate of All Wonders: Invisible Infrastructure The Gateway to Sufficiency The Known-Unknown Boundary The Paradox of Efficiency The Paradox of Enough The Paradox of Enough Technology The Paradox of Less Computing The Paradox of Sufficiency The Paradox of Sustainable Consumption The Sage Technology Practitioner The Shadow of Digital Infrastructure The Shadow Technology Approach The Ten Thousand Things: Interconnected Tech Systems The Timing of Implementation (Shi)The Uncarved Block in Supply Chains The Uncarved Block of Computing The Uncarved Block of Minimal Design The Uncarved Block: Simple Tech Ecosystems The Unspoken Language of Ecological Signals The Via Negativa in Tech Specification The Virtue of Constraint The Watercourse Way of Supply Chains Time Debt in Technology Adoption Timing and Natural Cycles Timing and the Window of Receptivity Uncarved Block in Product Minimalism Unknowing the Tech Stack Wu Wei in System Design Wu Wei in Technology Design Yin-Yang Balance in Energy Systems