Sustainability might sound like a big corporate buzzword, often framed as the battleground of giant corporations with massive budgets and global reach. But here’s the thing: small and medium-sized enterprises hold tremendous, often overlooked power to shape a greener future.
Why? Because real change doesn’t just come from sweeping global initiatives or billion-dollar investments. It starts with practical, everyday decisions made by businesses rooted in their communities—businesses like yours.
Whether you’re an architect designing eco-friendly homes, a builder sourcing sustainable materials, or a real estate agent championing energy-efficient properties, your choices add up. The collective impact of SMEs adopting sustainable practices is what will drive meaningful progress, one smart step at a time.
But hey—before you roll your eyes and think, “Here comes the guilt trip,” let me share how I stumbled into this myself.
From Forest Hammocks to Digital Footprints: My Sustainability Journey
When I launched my first company—a photo studio in the Netherlands—I found my escape not in trendy spas or crowded bars, but deep in the quiet forests near my childhood home in Drenthe. I wasn’t hauling fancy camping gear; just the basics—a hammock, tarp, axe, firesteel, and some simple food. For days, I’d disappear into that silence, breathing in fresh air and letting the worries of the business world melt away.
But there was one non-negotiable rule I never broke: leave no trace. Not a single scrap of garbage left behind. That wasn’t just about being neat; it was a lesson in respect—respect for the place that gave me peace. Over time, this simple principle grew into something bigger, shaping how I view the world and the footprint I leave wherever I go.
That deep respect for nature didn’t stay confined to those forest trips. It quietly transformed how I run my business today. I began asking myself: if I care this much about the woods, what about the impact my company has beyond those trees? As I like to say;
“Sustainability isn’t some abstract ideal—it’s about the small choices that add up to a better future, both outside in the forest and inside the digital world where my business lives.”
This mindset became the foundation for making smarter, more sustainable choices—ones that honor the environment in both the physical world and the digital space where my work thrives.
- I swapped car rides for public transport or a tiny motorbike with low emissions.
- I ditched piles of paper for Rocketbook — a reusable notebook that’s both smart and sustainable.
- And I learned that running websites and digital ads means powering giant data centers—energy beasts that keep the internet humming 24/7.
So yeah, sustainability isn’t just about hugging trees. It’s about smart choices, from the forest floor to the digital cloud.
The Unseen Culprit: Our Digital Footprint
Here’s a fact that might blow your mind: the internet is a massive energy hog. All those websites, ads, videos, cloud services, and now AI-powered tools? They’re powered by data centers—massive warehouses filled with servers that run 24/7.
These servers don’t just work hard—they get so hot that nearly as much energy goes into cooling them as powering them. In fact, Google’s data center in Groningen uses more electricity than the entire city of Haarlem. Shockingly, around 40% of all the energy powering the internet goes into cooling servers alone.
Data centers worldwide are responsible for about 2% of global carbon emissions—about the same as the entire airline industry today. And with AI entering the scene, energy demand is skyrocketing. These massive AI models gobble up power at an alarming rate, forcing big companies to strike deals to build their own dedicated power plants just to keep the servers running.
As for Groningen, Google’s data center there is indeed one of the company’s largest in Europe. While specific contracts to build dedicated power plants there aren’t publicly confirmed, Google heavily invests in renewable energy projects and power purchase agreements to offset their electricity use. The company aims to run all its data centers on carbon-free energy by 2030, balancing massive digital demand with sustainability goals.
So yes, while your website or digital ad may feel intangible, the infrastructure behind it has a very real, physical—and power-hungry—impact on the planet.
The SME Dilemma: Small Size, Big Responsibility
Look, we’re all part of this digital world, and yes, that makes us part of the problem. But small doesn’t mean powerless. In fact, SMEs are uniquely positioned to make meaningful changes because we can pivot faster, experiment, and get creative without red tape.
Here’s how we’re doing it at House of Brands Media:
- Carbon-neutral hosting: We only use servers that run on renewable energy, so our websites don’t add to the problem.
- Sustainable tools: Enter Rocketbook—our favorite notebook that’s totally reusable and recyclable. No more paper waste!
- Cleaner transport: We rely on public transit and electric rideshares like Bolt instead of gas-guzzling cars.
- Tree planting: We’re planting trees to offset our carbon footprint—because if a tree can suck up 31 kg of CO2 a year, we want plenty of those green air filters around.
Why SMEs Can—and Should—Lead the Way
Some say SMEs don’t move the needle on sustainability. I say they’re missing the point. Small businesses can be bold and nimble, proving that you don’t need a giant budget to do great things.
Think of sustainability as less of a chore and more of a badge you wear with pride. It’s innovation. It’s responsibility. And yes, it’s good marketing too. Your clients will respect a business that walks the walk.
So don’t wait for someone else to fix the planet. Start with your own footprint, your own team, your own choices. Because when SMEs push for change, that’s when the real shift begins.
Final thoughts
Switch your hosting to carbon-neutral. Swap that endless paper trail for a reusable Rocketbook. Catch the next bus or hop on an electric ride. Plant a tree or two. Small moves add up to big change—no need to do it all overnight.
I’m not here to preach or tell anyone what to do. Everyone has to find their own way to feel good about their impact. For me, it started years ago when I ran my first business in the Netherlands. Stress relief meant escaping into nature—In those quiet woods of Drenthe, I learned to respect my surroundings, always leaving no trace behind. That respect slowly shaped how I live and work now—from using public transport and a small motorbike to cutting paper waste and choosing sustainable digital tools.
So yeah, sustainability for me is personal. It’s about aligning my principles with my business choices—not because I have to, but because I want to. And if my small steps inspire you to find your own way, then we’re already moving in the right direction.
Let’s show the world that when it comes to sustainability, SMEs aren’t just part of the conversation—we’re driving it.