So you’ve decided to start cycling to work, switch to a plant-based diet, and limit your air travel. If you’re making changes to make your lifestyle more sustainable, you might also want to look at your tech habits. Nowadays, there are plenty of tech options to help individuals work towards a more carbon-neutral existence. Tackling climate change is a group responsibility, meaning we should all do our bit, by making greener choices. Opting for more eco-friendly gear is one of the ways in which we can contribute toward a better future for our planet. Read on to find out more about the eco-friendly tech choices we can make.
Repair tech
The recycling group, S2S, found in 2019 that 53.6m tonnes of “e-waste” was created worldwide, yet only 17% of this was recycled. Choosing to repair our devices, rather than throwing them away as soon as they no longer function optimally, is one way we can help reduce our environmental impact. ExpressVPN explains how a tech survival kit can contain the tools required to make certain repairs to our tech devices. Having such a kit at hand means we’re always prepared to make simple repairs, such as changing watch batteries.
Larger repairs, such as changing laptop batteries or keyboards, should be done by a professional. This will cost far less than it would if you opted to replace the device entirely, and it also means that one less piece of e-waste will end up in the landfill.
Solar powered products
The first solar panel was invented in 1883, by the American inventor, Charles Fritts. Since then, solar technology and solar panels have come a long way. It’s now possible to use solar energy for a myriad of things. Businesses use solar technology for reasons such as diversifying their energy sources, improving efficiency, and saving money. Individuals, too, can benefit from using solar energy, by using solar panels to provide electricity for their households, or by using a solar-powered power bank to charge their phones on the go. Solar energy is a more eco-friendly source of energy as it uses the sun’s energy, and doesn’t require burning fossil fuels.
Make smarter choices online
Did you know that sending fewer emails, and deleting unread emails can reduce your energy consumption? While emptying your spam folder and unsubscribing from newsletters won’t make a huge reduction to your carbon footprint, every little contribution we make to the greater good is helpful.
Additionally, using a browser such as Ecosia is an easy way to make your online browsing more eco-friendly. Ecosia’s servers use 100% renewable energy and produce double the amount of solar power needed to power searches made with Ecosia. This excess energy is fed back into the grid, helping the transition to a more renewable future.
With companies and businesses, in general, making changes to be more sustainable, it’s becoming easier and easier to make eco-friendly technology choices. You don’t have to make drastic choices – such as living off the grid – to be an eco-warrior, it’s all about making small and sustainable changes toward reducing your carbon footprint.