Cloud-native environments provide key advantages for production workloads, including scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency. However, the rapid rise of cloud resources to build cloud-first applications and enhance the developer experience introduces challenges related to sustainability, potentially compromising energy and developer efficiency. Local-first cloud-native tools can address these challenges by prioritizing performance and sustainability, enabling users to assess and integrate sustainable practices throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC). In this panel, Nancy will be joined by Sunyanan, Oleg, and Harsh to explore strategies and workflows that developers can implement to minimize the ecological impact of cloud-first development. This high-level discussion will empower you to make conscious decisions when creating developer environments, and reducing carbon footprints while maximizing the benefits of the cloud-native ecosystem.