It was Earth Day (22 April) yesterday, and as is usually the case, the celebrations tend to make the common man take notice of the underlying issues of climate change and all of humanity’s efforts to combat its adversities. Technological advances might make our lives more futuristic, but they often come at a price. Thus reducing or neutralising our carbon footprints becomes imperative for tech enthusiasts.

Astonishingly, our technology is one of the larger culprits in the grand scheme of things. Regardless of the advanced computing capabilities of your smartphone or the energy efficiency claims of your air conditioner, we often ignore the little yet crucial factors that govern those claims.

In some cases, it might be your faulty usage pattern that could make the most energy-efficient appliances or gadgets punch a notable dent in the ecological balance. In other cases, a poor maintenance schedule could harm both your finances and the environment.

Hence, it is up to us to consider how little changes in our usage habits can reduce the impact of our gadgets on the environment. In this story, you will find some great sustainable tech tips and solutions that can be adopted in your daily routine.

After all, it is we who can keep the blue planet blue.

Sustainable technology: Simple tips to go green

Before we begin, keep in mind that our sustainable tech tips are applicable across a wide range of gadgets and appliances.

1. Discard the standby mode on appliances

As much as manufacturers claim major energy savings in standby modes, your home appliances and gadgets are always consuming some amount of power. Consider an appliance like a TV or an AC, where the device’s standby mode is constantly supplying power to the circuit boards and the remote controller sensors. Switching them off when not needed helps cut off any power wastage, thereby reducing the overall carbon footprint.

The same stands for water and air purifiers — turn them off when not needed.

2. Switch off mobiles, laptops, earbuds when not in use

For mobile devices reliant on a battery, switching off or turning on the flight mode are two measures that help reduce energy consumption. For smartphones, you can consider switching off your device during your sleeping hours, especially on power-hungry Android-based devices. Not only do you reduce energy wastage but also improve the health of the battery cell.

For laptops, it is always advisable to take a few seconds extra and perform a complete shutdown. As for TWS earbuds, you should put them back in the charging case when done. If you rely on a neckband-style wireless setup, take a while to properly turn it off instead of leaving it on standby.

Efforts like these might seem irrelevant but they have a notable effect on your overall carbon footprint.

3. Turn on power-saving modes in smart gadgets

If switching off isn’t viable, you should consider sticking to the power-saving modes on your smart gadgets like phones and laptops. The power-saver modes often take a notable hit on performance but ensure minimum consumption while keeping the necessary bits active. If you cannot afford the compromises in performance, try simple measures like lowering the screen brightness, lowering speaker volumes and closing useless apps and tasks in the background.

4. Get your AC and refrigerator serviced frequently

Your air conditioner and refrigerator are reliant on ambient conditions for optimal performance. Since nature takes a toll on everything, your AC and refrigerator may also suffer from choked filters and corroded gas pipes, eventually taking a hit on their efficiency. Hence, one of our major sustainable tech tips is to perform basic maintenance to keep your cooling appliances performing at their best.

In the case of complex variants like split ACs and smart refrigerators, you should get them serviced every six months. Other than saving on energy consumption, a healthy maintenance schedule will also elongate the product’s lifespan, which also helps in reducing the impact on nature.

5. Don’t buy NEW gadgets unless needed

Discarding older gadgets and appliances is often considered more harmful to the environment, eventually impacting the carbon footprint. Hence, if your old smartphone or laptop works fine after years of abuse, avoid upgrading to a new device. In the case of phones and laptops, changing the battery often enhances the lifespan of the device.

Service centres also recommend a thorough cleaning of the internals to free the delicate semiconductor bits from accumulated dust and moisture (the two villains to silicon chips). In the case of sluggish/sub-par performance, it is advisable to restore the device to factory settings and clear the junk files to gain back some of the efficiency.

6. Spend more on energy-efficient products

Economics often plays a crucial role in deciding your next appliance or gadget. While you could be saving a decent amount by choosing the least efficient product today, it will hurt your wallet and Mother Nature more in the long run. Hence, in the case of purchasing a TV, air conditioner, heater or refrigerator, look for the energy efficiency ratings. Don’t shy away from spending more on ecologically friendly models that promise greater sustainability in the long run.

When it comes to smartphones and laptops, we recommend opting for those brands flaunting a great track record of supporting their older products for several years with efficient hardware and longer OS support policies. Apple’s products have proven themselves to sip on power as efficiently as possible and the brand has had a great track record for supporting their older gadgets with up to six years of software updates. Brands like Samsung and Google have also started promising longer support in a bid to enhance the lifespan of their products and reduce the need to upgrade frequently.

7. Recycle old chargers, outdated accessories

As part of our sustainable tech tips, we advocate the concept of recycling. While discarding your obsolete tech products, try recycling the supporting accessories like chargers, power banks, ear tips and more. Smartphone and laptop chargers with the USB-C universal port will be compatible with most modern-day devices and hence, remain usable long after their intended lifespan.

In case you are holding on to outdated power banks, micro-USB and multi-pin connectors and cables, reach out to the nearest recycling centres and dispose of them safely. Manufacturers can often reuse the metals in the chips and cables in newer products, thereby reducing the impact on the environment.

8. Choose eco-friendly accessories

If you love swapping new cases and covers for your mobile devices, we recommend opting for environment-friendly accessories. Phone cases and accessories made of biodegradable material are fashionable in an environmentally conscious world and have the least impact on the environment once you decide to discard them.

Sustainable gadgets we recommend for a greener tech footprint

Other than these sustainable tech tips, you can also consider opting for products that care for the environment, too. Although it is tricky to go through countless products in every category to identify the most energy-efficient options, we have rounded up some of the popular products in various categories that wear the green label.

Smartphones

For those willing to be the brand ambassadors of sustainable tech in smartphones, we recommend considering Apple’s iPhone range, Samsung’s Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series phones, Google’s Pixel 8 series and HMD Nokia’s offerings in the affordable segments. These phones feature some of the most efficient combinations of hardware and software, offer over five years of software support policies and mostly consist of recycled materials for their internal parts.

Additionally, check for factors like repairability, software support policies and material usage.

Laptops and PCs

Apple’s Mac range is currently leading the charge for efficient computing with its Apple Silicon powered chips. Following in the footsteps are the latest Intel-powered ultrabooks from Dell, HP, Lenovo and Asus.

TWS earbuds

For iPhone users, Apple’s AirPods lineup is recommended for grooving to your beats without impacting Mother Nature. Audio products from Samsung, Nothing, Bose and Sony are recommended for everyone with a universally compatible device.

Home appliances

Most manufacturers state the energy consumption ratings on TVs, ACs, refrigerators, water and air purifiers and audio systems. We recommend the ones that promise the best energy efficiency in their class.

(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Jonas Leupe via Unsplash)