Do you have a load of old electrical stuff cluttering up a drawer in your home? Adapters, mobile phone chargers, bits that you have no idea what use they could be? If electronic junk is swamping your home, it’s not much use when it eventually finds its way into landfill either!
The average UK citizen will generate 3.3 tonnes of electronic waste in their lifetime. Manufacturing electronic goods like computers, televisions, fridges and washing machines requires large amounts of energy and raw materials, and this contributes to climate change.
Being careful about what you buy and how you use electronic goods and appliances will save you money, cut down on energy and cut your carbon footprint – all without any huge changes to your lifestyle. Try asking these questions before reaching for the credit card:
Of the 6 million electrical items thrown away in the UK every year, half are still working or could easily be repaired. Think about keeping hold of your mobile phone for an extra year or two (most phones will work for at least five years) or increasing your computer’s memory instead of buying a new one.
There are two key energy labels to look out for to save you money and cut your carbon footprint:
- Energy Saving Recommended logo, used on the most energy efficient products.
- EU energy label, grades products from A (best) to G (worst) for energy use, with the scale now going up to A++ for fridges and freezers.
Every year 600 million batteries are discarded. If you can, use rechargeable batteries with your new product. Think about buying wind-up or solar-powered gadgets like radios and torches that allow you to dispense with batteries altogether. Careful buying could cut your battery wastage to a magic number – zero.
You can prolong the life of your electronic equipment and make it cost less to run by looking after it. Defrosting your fridge and freezer, and cleaning filters on appliances, will make them run more efficiently. Turning appliances off at the mains instead of putting them on standby means they don’t have unnecessary work to do.
The great news is about old electrical equipment is that someone, somewhere, probably wants it. Try offering it on Freecycle or find out where you can recycle it by visiting the Recycle Now website. Recycling materials like aluminium from computers saves raw materials and energy – so it cuts CO2 emissions.
Find out how much carbon dioxide you create and get a simple, personalised action plan to reduce your carbon footprint.
When you’re doing up your home, bear in mind that manufacturing items like furniture and flooring uses a surprising amount of energy and water. That leads to CO2 emissions which contribute to climate change, so choosing carefully when you’re shopping can make a big difference to your carbon footprint.
We face unavoidable climate change effects for the next 30 years due to the CO2 (carbon dioxide) and other greenhouse gases which we have already emitted, and so we need to adapt to the inevitable consequences.
