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SDU IT

Digital Cleanup Week 2026

From 16 to 21 March 2026, a series of digital clean-up activities will be carried out across the university, based on the international campaign “Digital Cleanup Day”. The initiative has been established through a collaboration between SDU’s Climate Ambassador Network and SDU IT.

Digital Cleanup Week 2026

Cleaning up our digital workspaces has never been more vital

This applies with regard to the climate, the economy, and security. We are calling on everyone at the university to join our digital cleanup initiative. Challenge a colleague to a 'delete-off,' organize a department cleanup event, or simply take a moment to clear out your own obsolete files and hand in your old SDU-computer, phone or other IT-equipment at your IT Servce Desk.

Every little bit helps, so your actions really do make a difference!

The initiative focuses on climate, compliance, and good digital practices

Three key elements:

  1. Deleting data and files
  2. Handing in old IT equipment
  3. Cleaning up apps, licenses, and newsletters

Did you know?

  • 7% of the world’s gold is currently stored in obsolete electronics? It can be recycled and help reduce the need for mining.

  • SDU pays for licenses on many computers that are sitting unused on shelves. We cannot cancel the licenses because we don’t know whether they are still in use.
Curious to learn more? Dive into the three key elements and find more “Did you know?” facts below.
Desk with ultrawide monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, desk lamp, cables, and notebook.  
Old IT equipment such as mobile phones, mice, and hard drives.  
Overview of installed apps in Windows settings.  

Tips and tricks for digital cleanup

What can you do?

  • Hand in your old SDU computer, phone, monitor, and other SDU equipment at one of SDU IT’s Service Desks.

  • SDU IT accepts your unused equipment at your local Service Desk. No questions asked.

  • We ensure that all equipment is wiped of old data before it is sent for recycling.

What difference does your action make?

  • Some equipment is reused at SDU.

  • Some equipment is reused by other parties.

  • Some equipment is dismantled for scrap, where the materials are recycled.

  • Old phones and computers lose value faster than almost any other assets. The sooner they are handed in for reuse or recycling, the greater the chance they can get a new life elsewhere instead of simply becoming scrap.

Did you know?

  • There are more than 500 inactive Macs collecting dust around SDU?

  • 7% of the world’s gold is currently stored in obsolete electronics? It can be recycled and help reduce the need for mining.

  • More than 95% of the materials in a smartphone battery can be recycled into new batteries.

What can you do?

  • Empty your “Deleted Items”/trash folder in Outlook – it can contain many GBs of trash. When you click on the trash folder, you can see the number of items in the lower-left corner.

  • Send links to files in Teams, OneDrive, or WorkZone instead of attaching files.

  • Delete old Teams sites.

  • Delete old files. A PowerPoint from 2018 may no longer be relevant.

  • Unsubscribe from newsletters you don’t read.

  • Clean out your “Downloads” folder. Your Downloads folder is often the university’s largest graveyard for duplicate files that you have already saved elsewhere.

What difference does your action make?

  • For every document you delete, you free up server space. This saves resources for SDU.

  • Every time you receive a newsletter you don’t read, it uses energy for transmission and storage. 60% of all emails are never opened.

  • By unsubscribing, you stop the automatic flow of digital waste.

Did you know?

  • An email attachment takes up space everywhere it is stored – inbox, sent items, archive, etc. So a large PowerPoint or Excel file that is sent back and forth without deleting old emails can take up a lot of space.

  • It is estimated that 90% of all data is never used or accessed again three months after being stored.

  • Each SDU employee is allocated 100 GB of storage by default. The university pays extra for anything beyond that.

  • Old data that is left unused is called “Dark Data”. Globally, Dark Data is estimated to produce more CO₂ than the entire aviation industry.

What can you do?

  • Delete apps, old software, and programs that you no longer use.

  • Cancel subscriptions for programs you no longer use. Contact the SDU IT Service Desk for assistance. Contact details can be found at the bottom of the page.

  • See which apps you have installed: Start > Settings > Apps

What difference does your action make?

  • SDU saves money on unused licenses and/or other colleagues can benefit from the license.

  • You free up space by removing apps, software, and programs.

  • You help reduce security risks – old “doors” that are no longer used and therefore no longer monitored.

It is easier to lock 10 doors than 100

An unused software license creates an unnecessary “attack point”. Unused accounts and forgotten licenses are rarely monitored or updated by the user. If hackers gain access to an inactive account, they can remain hidden in the system for a long time. By removing redundant licenses, we eliminate potential backdoors to the university’s network.

Did you know?

  • SDU pays for licenses on many computers that are sitting unused on shelves. We cannot cancel the licenses because we do not know whether they are still in use.

  • SDU IT is shutting down the old records management system ScanJour on Friday, March 20. We are saying goodbye to a large system, and the closure of Acadre will follow shortly.

Guides

Outlook

How to delete emails and files – plus a short guide to creating rules that automate cleanup.

OneDrive

How to remove large files and create links instead of attaching files – plus a short guide on how to get an overview of access to shared documents.

Teams and SharePoint

How to delete sites and create links to files – plus a short guide on how to get a better overview of your SharePoint sites and who has access.

Du you have any questions?

If your query isn’t urgent, feel free to create a support ticket.
We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Phone: 6550 2990
Email: servicedesk@sdu.dk

 

See also