Technology has the tools to help all of us cut our emissions. But to be credible, big tech firms also need to cut their own large carbon footprints.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

A lot of technology at the centre of our lives, from data centres to laptop computers to video streaming and our data-hungry mobile phones, requires a lot of energy. So, what is the solution? And can clever technology really help all of us cut our carbon footprints?

Who better to tell us about this than Ms Kate Brandt, the chief sustainability officer for Google. The tech giant is also developing products and services that help people around the world cut their emissions.

ST’s climate change editor David Fogarty hosts Ms Brandt to discuss Google’s initiatives to cut emissions right across its operations and some of the new technologies that can help its billions of daily users shrink their carbon bubbles.