Using Tech to Go Greener

One of the best things about technology is how it frees us from the waste and resource-guzzling that outdated methods use. Today, appliances are more efficient, communication is more eco-friendly, and automation allows us to remotely control energy usage so that less goes to waste. Technology can also be an investment sometimes. However, that investment is often worthwhile. Not only can it save you thousands per year on utility costs, but it also pays back to the planet.

Here are some ideas for ways to incorporate wonderful technology updates in your home and business routine in order to better preserve the earth’s natural resources.

Smart Homes

Having a smart house might feel a bit like a science fiction story plot, but the truth is that technology now allows us to have all of our electrical appliances on one management grid so that we can track what’s going on in the house even when we’re away.

Smart home networks can control:

• lighting
• security alarms
• heating and air conditioning
• sprinkler timers

What’s so great about this is that you can take measures to greatly reduce how much energy your house is using. If you’re away from the house for a while, you can turn down the heating and air conditioning to a level that reduces waste, but doesn’t force your furnace or cooler to overwork when it is time for you to return.

Smart lighting sensors can sense how much natural light is in the house, and decide which lights to turn on (and when) accordingly. This way, you don’t have random lights in your house that are turned on even though it’s too bright for anyone to notice. Automatic sprinkler systems are also getting smarter.

Although we’ve been able to connect sprinklers to a timer in the past so that our lawn is watered at the ideal time of day (usually early in the morning) we can now incorporate another sensor that knows when it does and does not rain. If you’ve been getting sufficient rainfall, you can go weeks without using artificial watering methods.

Going Paperless

One of the best things about the internet is the way that it allows us to communicate efficiently and almost effortlessly. Although getting a letter in the mail is still special now and then, no one will miss eliminating all the mailers and fliers and bills that come in the mail.

Go through your bills and other items that usually come through the mail (including subscriptions and communication from your bank) and then see if there’s a digital option instead. Most companies allow you to make payments online through a login. Your bank will have online banking options with the possibility of getting statements via email instead of in the mail. As an added bonus, it’s harder to lose these records than hard copies.

Going digital is an essential part of updating your life to the modern world, and any business worth your time will have embraced the efficiency and convenience for their customers enabled by technology. Having your records and payments digital will help you to keep better track and take care of the regular chores of life quicker.

Some subscriptions might feel worthwhile to you to have in paper form. However, if you’re comfortable reading on a digital reader, consider switching your subscription to an e-reader format. Often, digital subscriptions are cheaper, and you can stop contributing to the 75,000 trees that are sacrificed for each Sunday edition of the New York Times.

Update Your Appliances

In order to make the most of green technology advances, it will probably be necessary to update your household appliances and workplace machines. Not only are newer models much more energy-efficient, but usually updates are necessary in order to take advantage of the interconnectedness available. For example, old heating systems won’t be able to be controlled from your smartphone.

But most importantly, when you realize the dramatic difference between old appliances and new in your energy bill, you’ll be glad that you updated. New refrigerators use about half as much energy as one from the 90’s, saving you hundreds of dollars on energy costs each year.

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