Going “green” has become a major part of every business. Consumers expect businesses to be more thoughtful and sustainable with regular operations, packing, production, and waste management. Not just that, companies can also benefit from reducing expenses by cutting down on paper, refilling ink, and turning off unused lights.
Keeping businesses aside, 20% of the greenhouse gases come from households, averaging 19 tons per American year.
In this article, I will explore what carbon footprint is and provide five ways to reduce your carbon footprint with technology.
What is a Carbon Footprint?
Our carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide we produce with our regular activities. These gases get trapped in the atmosphere, warming the overall temperature of the planet. Additionally, the thick layer of gases doesn’t let the sunlight escape during peak summer times. Although these gasses occur naturally, some factors like deforestation and burning oils can speed up the process.
Besides that, everyday activities like using body sprays and air conditioning can also contribute to the diverse effects of greenhouse gases.
Here’s how you can reduce your carbon footprint by using technology.
1. Use Smart Power Strips
Ever wondered how much you save if you simply switch off all your unused lights at home or the office? Or perhaps how amazing it would be to turn off the lights at night without having to walk all the way to the switch?
I get it. When you are exiting the house, it can be time-consuming to turn off this and that. With smart power strips, you can switch off all the plugged-in devices using your phone or voice assistance. This way, you can leave the house without worrying about your iron and a large electricity bill.
2. Use Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats work just like smart power strips, but only control the temperature of your house. These devices can learn your temperature preference and maintain a cozy environment whenever, wherever.
The best part? When you’re out, you can turn it off using your phone or voice assistant. As it is linked to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the machine can quickly learn your schedule and automatically adjust the system to lower energy consumption and thus reduce emissions and save money.
3. Carbon Capture
Human activities like manufacturing and driving contribute to greenhouse gases. Now, what if you could extract the carbon dioxide back from the atmosphere? With Carbon capture, you can.
Carbon capture plants are usually located next to power plants, and they work to eliminate the CO2 from burning fossil fuels and create zero emissions for the environment. After that, the extracted carbon gets converted into clean-burning fuels to keep our air fresh and clean at all times.
3. Meat Alternatives
On average, 33% of food items get lost or wasted during production. This leads to great economic and environmental impact. One solution that many people opt for is to use lab-grown meat. Food tech companies like Upside Foods now make lab gown seafood and beef to help combat waste that comes with harvesting.
They take cell samples from fish and animals and extract the right stem cells to increase their reproduction rate. Later, they treat the cell by carefully placing them into an artificial womb called a bioreactor. This bioreactor supports tissue growth and converts it into three-dimensional steaks and fillets. This meat is known to reduce inflammation and help lower the risk of heart disease and arthritis.
4. Track Your Household Energy
Regardless of your efforts to maintain sustainability, there is always room for improvement. You may use devices like Glow Home Energy Tracker to detect all your energy usage and find out ways to reduce it. For example, if you accidentally leave your fridge open at night, the app will present a red signal to alert you to take action. This way, you can ensure nothing goes under your radar at home or in the office.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can also incorporate other technology devices like smart power strips and thermostats with trackers to measure the efficiency of these devices and optimise with time.
Edited by Callum Sinclair (sub-editor)
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