Dematerialization Is Critical For Lowering Environmental Impact

Julie Starr • August 25, 2022



The material world is struggling to keep up with the human need for resource extraction. Since 1950, the world population has grown from around 2.5 billion to more than 8 billion, and the numbers keep rising. The planet is probably already exceeding its carrying capacity, meaning that humanity’s activities are unsustainable. 

The world, therefore, is at a crossroads. If we follow the business-as-usual approach, the costs down the line will be far higher. The ecology will collapse , and the entire world will fall into dreadful poverty, the likes of which are unimaginable today. 

The second option is to regress voluntarily. That is, go back to life as it was in the middle ages, where average incomes are around $1 per day across the planet. Nobody wants that. 

The final option is to dematerialize the economy . That is, goods and services need to become digital or computerized and rely less on the physical world. 

Achieving the goal of dematerialization seems challenging. After all, people have been trying to displace coal and oil for decades now. However, we’ve already witnessed the phenomenon in some industries. 

Take books, for instance. Twenty years ago, you had to buy them from a store. Now you can just download them into your app. 

The same is true of music. Nobody buys vinyl records anymore. Instead, they stream them on iTunes. 

Even things like radios have disappeared . Modern smartphones often offer wireless technology that eliminates the need to invest in bulky equipment. 

In some instances, total dematerialization isn’t possible. You’re never going to have a digital power plant. However, miniaturization is something that people can achieve and has been helping to reduce carbon impact. Computer components and accessories are getting smaller all the time, reducing resource reliance. 

Researchers appear to agree that dematerialization is already occurring on a large scale. Academics, such as MIT’s Andrew McAfee , believe that the US economy is growing, despite actually using fewer materials and inputs. Companies are becoming more efficient in the way that they are converting natural products into goods that consumers can use and enjoy, with no impact on the standard of living. 

The question, though, is how far and fast this process can develop. While it is certainly occurring and continues to accelerate, the trend is only slowly spreading to other parts of the globe. In McAfee’s opinion, it is not happening fast enough to stop climate change, but there is hope for environmental protection, he says, given the progress that’s been made so far. 

What Does This Mean For Business?

The challenge for businesses, therefore, is to find ways to dematerialize their operations. Obvious solutions include things like going paperless or working remotely. But there are a host of other strategies, too. 

Take payments, for instance. Businesses currently operate with cash, which has a profound impact on the environment. Cash is not impact-free. Just like everything else, it requires energy to produce and move around. It also depletes natural resources. 

Therefore, businesses should strive to reduce the amount of cash they accept from customers and use alternative forms of payment instead. Cryptocurrencies, for instance, offer a way for firms to reduce the carbon impact of their operations quickly. And while there are pros and cons of using crypto wallets , there’s no doubt that customers want more opportunities to spend their tokens. 

Companies can also preferentially work with suppliers who are moving towards dematerialization. This means that even if there are no opportunities for the firm itself to dematerialize, it can build networks that do. These network economies could then spread throughout all human activity, making resource use more efficient. 

Where Will Technology Lead? 

Of course, dematerialization isn’t guaranteed. However, recent events have shown just how easy it is for companies to eliminate the material component of their operations. 

Consider the pandemic lockdowns. Governments around the world forbade many firms from allowing people to go to work. Instead of shutting down operations entirely, many simply used existing cloud technology to facilitate remote work. 

While the debate over whether these types of working arrangements are good for firms is ongoing, there’s no doubt that they happened. They were an important precedent that showed that commercial offices are largely redundant. If people can work from home, what is the point of operating large skyscrapers?

Interesting, the concept actually goes further than that. Even where a physical plant is required for production, workers may not need to be present. For instance, consider a factory that requires workers to press a button once it meets certain conditions. Do they need to be on-site? Probably not. Instead, they can sit on a cloud-connected computer, pushing the button digitally, telling the machine what to do, based on a visual input feed. 

There are other opportunities, too. Practically all service professionals now have experience of working from home. For many, the need to travel to visit clients no longer exists. This saves fuel and energy costs and slashes the requirement to own a car. 

The question for businesses, though, is how far this technology can develop. Consider AI, for instance. General intelligence is decades away if it ever comes at all. Programmers simply don’t know how to make machines that rival people. However, intelligent systems could potentially reduce the need for inputs on a massive scale. 

Take the current fertilizer crisis. Right now, there is a shortage because most farmers use the input inefficiently. Instead of targeting the crops in their fields in need of a boost, they spread it everywhere evenly. 

With AI systems, though, this could change. Farmers could inspect crops individually using a variety of camera systems imbued with artificial intelligence. These could then tell robots whether to squirt fertilizer or nutrients in a particular location in a field or not. 

There are other possibilities, too. Companies behind the metaverse could change how people conduct their private lives. Rather than going out and consuming resources, they could occupy digital worlds that meet their needs. Today’s metaverse offerings are somewhat laughable, given recent “teasers” from well-known tech moguls. But in the future, they could be considerably more compelling. Brain-computer interfaces could convince people that they are having real experiences, similar to the matrix. Yet these experiences would not require any natural resources. 

To take an extreme example, you could have people living in tiny cubicle flats with an electricity connection to power their metaverse experience. Then, everything else they enjoy would be a part of the digital world. They would not need material possessions at all since they could simulate them in the computerized experience. 

Naturally, this level of technology is still a long way off. However, firms, such as Elon Musk’s NeuraLink , are already laying the groundwork that could make it possible. Computers might be able to generate specific perceptions in users, taking virtual reality’s immersion to a whole new level. 

Conclusion

How rapidly this happens and whether people accept it, will determine the environmental impact that it has. In the meantime, companies need to adopt circular economy thinking to reduce the number of Earth’s resources they use. Instead of just economizing around price, they should look for any opportunity to reduce reliance on materials. 

In practice, this means adopting a range of strategies. Firms need to become more digital and view their digitalization efforts as a part of their green strategy. Modernization should also be treated as an environmental project. The more advanced technology becomes, the more likely it is to reduce resource inputs. Right now, this seems like the only way forwards. 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.