All of us are trying to be more sustainable and eco-friendlier both at work and at home. From composting our food to car sharing with friends and work colleagues, buying food and products that are locally produced to carrying reusable bags, there are countless ways little changes can help the environment in our day-to-day life.
For this blog post, we are focusing on some digital tips you can do at home to make your life more sustainable.
-
Upgrade or Repair Equipment (from laptops to dishwashers)
If you’ve got an old laptop that just isn’t working as efficiently as before or a microwave that you’ve had for yonks, it’s a good idea to upgrade the item. That is if you can’t get it repaired first!
Besides the fact that things like laptops and phones can be security issues if they’re not up-to-date, old equipment uses up more energy than newer equipment, so by upgrading you’re not only using less energy to help the environment, but it’ll also save you on costs too.
To figure out the current energy use of an appliance, it’s a good idea to buy an electricity usage monitor.
Check out this link below to decide what type of energy monitor you want to buy.
https://www.gearhungry.com/best-electricity-usage-monitor/
-
Go Digital not Printed
If you’re fed up with getting endless magazines, shopping catalogues, bills, and more through your letterbox, only for them to end up in recycling, why not go digital?
All the magazines these days are available in printed and online formats – and you can even get a subscription to the likes of Readly, which gives you access to thousands of magazines without the energy and resource use of printing the magazines.
The same goes with things like catalogues and bills – you can still check out your favourite shops online or via social media (and we like the fact that places like Pinterest and Instagram can create shopping posts, so you can click on the post to go to that product!) but cut out the catalogues. And your bank will offer the choice now of printed bills but focus entirely on bank apps and online accounts.
Readly App: https://gb.readly.com/
-
Rechargeable Batteries
While you’ll notice your local supermarket or shops offer to recycle batteries, it’s worth investing in some rechargeable batteries for your battery-powered appliances. Things like battery-powered keyboards and mice use up a lot of batteries if you’re using them on a regular basis, and in the darker months you’re likely to have a fair few twinkle lights around the house, so rather than spending money on single-use batteries, why not invest in rechargeable batteries?
They’re a lot better than they used to be 10/15 years ago, but it’s still worth checking out what will work best for you.
Discover more here: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/technology/1407559/best-rechargeable-batteries
https://www.gearhungry.com/best-rechargeable-battery/
We recommend – Amazon Basics: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-Capacity-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable-Batteries-Black/dp/B00HZV9TGS/?&tag=experevi-21&ascsubtag=1407559
-
Close Applications not in use on your Phone to save Battery Life
One thing all of us do with our smartphones, tablets, and computers is have a multitude of applications running in the background!
So, if you’re struggling with battery life – or even not and want to make sure you limit energy use – then if you’re not using an application or only need it quickly for a check (like weather or bank apps), once you’ve finished using the app, simply close it!
-
Dim Computer Screens
Depending on the amount of light you need to work by, another way to save on battery life and energy is to dim your screen – both computer, phone and/or tablet screens.
You can do this from the keyboard for your computer, or by going to the top corner settings on your phone or tablet. Another tip for your phone and tablet is to set timings to go into night/switch-off mode, to again save on energy usage and battery life.
You can set up these night settings by going to Settings on your Phone/Tablet.
-
Online Shopping and Ethical Shopping
While it’s always good to go window shopping and find a bargain or something new that sparks our eye or spend a bit of time shopping for ingredients for your next dinner dish or bake, sometimes it’s more efficient to buy online and find better ways of reducing your environmental impact.
It’s a good idea to check out your options if you buy online and decide if it’s either cheaper to car share and save money that way or buy online and pay the postage costs.
Why not check out how environmentally-friendly your favourite shops are by checking out this App: Good On You
Some ways we suggest thinking about your shopping is:
-
Buy local produce from your food shops, or go to local farmers' markets and farm shops
-
Buy from a refill shop – find your nearest one by checking out the Refill App: https://www.refill.org.uk/
-
Buy second-hand from eBay, Vinted, or Shpock - or better yet, charity shops!
-
Buy handmade from local producers through sites like Etsy (you can filter out shops not based locally to you)
-
Online Learning instead of face-to-face events (or if it is face-to-face, find local venues)
Want to learn a new skill or develop an old one? There are lots of ways you can learn something new online rather than go to a face-to-face event.
Here are some of our favourite sites to learn new skills:
FutureLearn - https://www.futurelearn.com/
Skillshare - https://www.skillshare.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/
Or, if you are wanting to learn face-to-face, why not investigate local venues and organisations that offer training, that you can travel to easily?
And if you want to develop your digital skills, don’t forget you can sign-up for our free events – most of these are all online too! So, you’ll save money and cut down on your emissions, all the while learning something new and developing vital skills.
Click here for our projects to find out if you’re eligible.
Top Tip Breakdown:
-
Upgrade or repair your appliances if you can, but first check out the energy use of your appliance by getting an Electricity Usage Monitor.
-
Go digital with your bills and magazines – get bank apps and online magazines through Readly.
-
Go rechargeable for your batteries – we recommend Amazon Basics with 1,000 recharges!
-
Close your applications on your phone and/or computer to save on battery life and energy usage.
-
Dim your screens and set-up night mode to save on battery life and energy usage.
-
Shop online and get your food shopping delivered to save on costs.
-
Learn new skills online instead of travelling to face-to-face events – you’ll save money on petrol and energy usage.
There are many more ways to be digitally sustainable. Check out these posts for more information.
Watch out for more tips on the environment and sustainability in the future!
Blog Post written by Kate Anderson, Marketing & Design Executive