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Smart Devices

Smart – phones, cars, thermostats, doorbells, locks, fridges, tablets, watches, bands, assistants, lights, key chains, curtains…if you can think it, somebody is probably working on making it ‘smart’. The promise of devices connected to the internet at home, the office and even outside is that it will make our lives more comfortable, safe and enjoyable. While that might be true, the other side of the coin is the impact this tsunami of smart devices is having on our planet.

CO2 Impact Calculator

In the smart devices category, the most impactful is the fast rate of growth in the amount of smart devices we bring into our homes and offices. The calculator shows how many trees you need to plant each year to offset your current smart device collection. It also projects the amount of trees you will need annually 3 years from now based on your rate of growth.

Tips

Do you want to embrace a greener digital lifestyle? Below we provide some tips. If you select one or multiple, it is stored locally. This is better for both CO2 emissions as it is for your privacy. By selecting a tip, it is added to your own battleplan, where you can always return to in the Take Action section.

  • Prioritize smart devices that reduce energy consumption

    Some devices have a net positive effect because they save more energy (through efficiency) than they consume. Think about smart lights which are only on when needed for instance.

    Add to Take Action list:

  • Dim the brightness of your screens

    Dimming the brightness of your screens from 100% to 70% can save up to 20% of the used energy plus it reduces eye strain.

    Add to Take Action list:

  • Shut down and kill the vampire power

    Devices which are directly connected to the grid through a cable or a plug keep drawing energy while they are not needed.

    Add to Take Action list:

Do you know how many Amazons we need to plant to offset the electricity use of all smart devices in the world?

To offset the 50 billion smart devices we will be using globally by 2030 we need to plant an additional 25 Amazon rainforests to offset their annual electricity usage alone. Because that is, off course, impossible, we need to become smarter in how we make, use, and dispose of our smart devices. For if we don’t, our super smart homes, offices and cities will turn out to be not so smart at all when it comes to fighting climate change.

In the production chain, factors like who makes it, where is it made, and is it designed for recycling have to become basic questions before we buy a new smart device. In using the devices, minimizing the standby losses and prioritizing ecologically smart devices make a lot of sense. When disposing, producers who offer circular recycling are the best options.