There are ways everyone can do their bit (Picture: Getty)
In an age where climate change is not just a threat but a reality, technology has become a beacon of hope, helping us to reshape how we interact with our planet.
As we strive to mitigate the impacts of climate change, technology serves as a catalyst – offering up a host of clever contraptions that propel us towards more sustainable ways of living.
But what technology specifically can we make a part of our lives to help us save the planet?
From energy-saving gadgets to waste-reducing apps, here are some of the most impactful eco technologies making a real difference in our fight for a greener world.
Help reduce food waste with Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go app
Too Good To Go is nothing short of a game-changer in the fight against food waste.
By hooking up users with local eateries to rescue surplus food, the app is not only sustainable but it’s also helping those most in need during the cost of living crisis. Saving the planet, one meal at a time, this app is perfect for those looking to make an environmental impact with their dietary choices.
Create a virtual wardrobe
CICON app
CICON is an app with a goal to revolutionise sustainable fashion. As a one-stop shop for making your existing wardrobe more eco-friendly, the app simplifies sustainable living and helps you organise your wardrobe through a greener lens.
Add garments to a virtual wardrobe and manage everything from there. Have shoes that need mending? Take photos of the damage and CICON’s ‘circular concierge’ will find quotes from repairers. Can’t wear the same dress to another party? Rent it out and make some extra money. Or if you want to clear items out permanently, CICON can help you resell, donate or recycle your clothes. What’s more, the app is free.
A super smart way to reduce your environmental footprint without compromising on style.
Available from the App Store and Google Play
Keep plastic from landfill with a SodaStream
SodaStream
Are you a fizzy drinks fiend but don’t love the plastic that comes with it?
Transform tap water into the sparkling variety with SodaStream and you’ll be cutting your plastic waste dramatically. In fact, the company claims that each of its reusable bottles saves 1,282 single-use equivalents from being made.
While it requires a gas canister to work, each £12.99 cylinder – purchased on a sustainable refill and exchange scheme – produces 60 litres of bubbles. That’s some massive savings right there.
And if plain old water doesn’t float your boat, the brand also sells a number of the nation’s favourite soft drink flavours in dilutable bottles, including Pepsi MAX and 7UP Free. Each makes about nine litres of soft drink, giving you more environmentally friendly beverage choices.
EcoFlow’s Delta 2 Max
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max
One way of reducing your energy consumption and being kinder to the planet is by relying less on the grid. Investing in a portable power station can help you do just that.
These nifty devices, such as EcoFlow’s Delta 2 Max, give you a greener, more sustainable carbon footprint-lowering power source. As an ‘off-grid’ power solution, it can be integrated with solar panels to harness the power of the Sun and unlike traditional generators, doesn’t release harmful pollutants.
Take a step towards self-sufficiency and use it during peak energy demand hours to give the planet a bit of a break.
At £1,899 it isn’t the cheapest, but will help save you money – and the planet – in the long run.
Save water and washing up
Loch Capsule eco dishwasher
It’s not secret that dishwashers are more water-efficient than people.
So if you live in a small flat and don’t have the space for a full-size dishwasher, Loch’s Capsule might be just the thing. Not only a space saver, this compact countertop washer-upper has been designed to help you reduce your carbon footprint.
Proving that big things certainly come in small packages, Loch claims that Capsule uses four times less CO2, six times less water and 3.6 times less energy than the traditional method – that’s roughly 25,620 litres of water saved per year, and up to £230 on annual energy bills. Need we say more?
Voltaware
Ever wanted to know exactly how much energy your home appliances use in pounds and pence? You’re in luck – a company called Voltaware supplies homes with an AI-powered, credit card-sized sensor that fits onto your fuse box.
By monitoring energy use, it’s able to break down your energy bill for each appliance – with real-time, daily and monthly reports – identifying the exact costs for each. You can then use that intel to make behavioural changes and reduce electricity usage.
An essential tool for anyone looking to make their home more energy-efficient – and it only takes five minutes to install.
Make your washing machine kind to the environment
PlanetCare
Microplastic is a major problem for our oceans – and washing machines are a major source of that problem.
PlanetCare can help you reduce your own contributions with a filter that attaches to your washing machine to ensure no harmful plastic waste is released back into the ecosystem.
Simply fix one of the firm’s starter kit packs to your washing machine and it will capture around 98% of microplastics from every wash.
Once the filter is full, simply send off the cartridge to be recycled, for free, and Planetcare will send you a new one. The unit itself is also made entirely from recycled plastic and doesn’t need any form of power or batteries to work. Truly sustainable stuff.
Circular Computing
As the eco-warriors of the laptop world, Circular Computing remanufactures laptops from well-known brands like HP, Dell and Lenovo giving used devices a new lease of life.
By making these computers look and work like they’re fresh out of the box, the company not only reduces electronic waste, but keeps things super green by ensuring that every laptop it pumps out is carbon-neutral. A perfect alternative for those in need of a new yet more sustainably made device.
Filtered water on top? Yes please
GROHE Blue Pure kitchen tap
GROHE’s Blue Pure is essentially a filtered water tap which removes the need to purchase single-use plastic bottles by providing clean, filtered and fresh water with the simple flick of a wrist.
It works using replaceable filters, which live under your sink and work to purify up to 3,000 litres of water before needing to be switched out in just a few steps.
A clever and super green solution for the home, especially for those trying to reduce the amount of plastic they’re using.
Raylo
With a mission to accelerate the move of smart tech to a circular economy, Raylo is a UK-based tech platform that’s challenging how Brits consume electronics.
Through the leasing of popular gadgets – including handsets, watches, laptops, tablets and consoles – the company champions the idea of renting rather than owning.
Use the platform to pick up new and refurbished tech for a set price per month, which not only offers people more flexibility, but helps save the planet, too.
Look at your home in a different light
Philips Hue lighting
As lighting accounts for approximately 9% of an average home’s electricity use, saving energy when it comes to light bulbs can really make a difference.
That’s where Philips Hue comes in.
The LED tech in this connected lighting system already saves up to 85% of energy over traditional bulbs but, on top of this, its dimmable features and the use of colour light instead of white also go a long way in reducing costs and preserving energy.
What’s more, the brand’s portable options, such as the Go accent lamp, can be charged and then unplugged before being taken to different rooms, eliminating the need to turn on additional lights and use energy from the grid.
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From clothes to food to gadgets.