Cyber-Sustainability: leaving a lasting legacy of human wellbeing

“This paper presents a case for the importance of sustainability in human-computer interaction (HCI) as it relates to the Web.” It transcends the previously emphasized design-related and environmental aspects of sustainability in HCI and accentuates the importance of sustainability of virtual environments. To properly address cyber-sustainability, the 3 concerns related to sustainability are environmental impacts, psychological impacts, and the worldview that the Web promotes. The question of whether our virtual encounters contribute to, or obstruct, the development of a philosophy that will promote a positive relationship with the physical environment is addressed. This includes the often neglected environmental impact of Web technologies as well as impacts on our human well-being. The primary focus is to explore how the Web can contribute to the well-being of the humanity of individuals, and how humanity can assert its dominance over technology and reduce the impact of unintended harmful consequences.