https://media.opendigital.info/videos/watch/232ab056-f2ec-4b5b-9740-39e5625ed1cc John Laan explains how open-source hardware and software underpin innovative sustainability in data centres—from Microsoft’s undersea trials to modular systems that repurpose waste heat for district heating and greenhouses—highlighting that most emissions lie in a device’s “embodied carbon” rather than its electricity use. By opening firmware and designs, operators can hack and extend server lifespans well beyond the typical three-to-five-year cycle, drastically cutting the need for new manufacture, while “prosumers” such as hyperscale cloud providers have already leveraged their purchasing power to reshape supply chains. Laban further argues that broader consumer empowerment—supported by “right to repair” legislation—can drive local repair economies and systemic change, restoring the polymathic, repair-oriented practices exemplified by traditional oak-frame construction to modern technology. Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:24:48 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://media.opendigital.info https://media.opendigital.info/lazy-static/avatars/1c76e474-a93d-4a23-aec7-b854de60eea7.png https://media.opendigital.info/videos/watch/232ab056-f2ec-4b5b-9740-39e5625ed1cc All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://media.opendigital.info/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.