Source: Own illustration
We’ve all been there: your desktop is cluttered, your inbox is overflowing, and old apps are piling up on your smartphone. It’s time for a digital spring cleaning! On March 21, 2026, it’s that time again: Digital Cleanup Day invites you to bring order to your digital world while helping the environment.
Clean Up Digitally and Help the Environment
The campaign was launched in 2020 by the Institut du Numérique Responsable and the NGO World Cleanup Day France. Since then, it has motivated people worldwide to delete unnecessary files, rethink digital routines, and reduce CO2 emissions. Every stored file consumes energy, whether on cloud service servers or on your own computer. Less data means lower energy consumption and thus a smaller digital footprint.
Here’s How to Do Your Digital Spring Cleaning
Instead of spending hours deleting data haphazardly, it’s worth taking a structured approach. We’ve put together a few small “challenges” for you:
Challenge 1: Sort photos and files
Duplicate photos, old screenshots, or downloads you’ve never used—get rid of them!
Challenge 2: Declutter apps and programs
Check all the apps on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone and delete anything you haven’t used in months.
Challenge 3: Get your email inbox in order
Archive, delete, or unsubscribe from newsletters to keep your inbox organized and save storage space.
These steps not only boost your devices’ performance but also reduce the energy needed to run servers and data centers.
Sustainability Beyond Cleanup Day
Regularly decluttering conserves resources and extends the lifespan of your devices. A few simple measures can help:
- Only increase streaming quality when necessary
- Use devices longer and recycle old ones
- Store files centrally instead of saving them in multiple locations
- Create backups only for truly important data
- Enable video features in online meetings only when necessary
- Consciously reduce screen time and social media use
Every small step counts. Together, we can make the digital world more efficient and sustainable!
Join Us for Digital Cleanup Day 2026
Start your digital spring cleaning on March 21, 2026, and make room for what matters most. Free your devices from unnecessary clutter!
The RWTH Sustainability Office has compiled additional tips and tricks for Digital Cleanup Day. You can find them on the RWTH website.
Responsible for the content of this article is Hania Eid.
The following sources served as the basis for this article:
Leave a Reply