Three Ways Smart Technology Can Help You Live A Greener Life
The planet is warming up, and Americans may be some of the worst offenders when it comes to energy consumption. One study found that U.S. citizens with the lowest energy consumption were still using twice the global average. So what can you do if you want to live a greener life? It turns out that boosting the amount of tech in your home could actually help you reduce your energy consumption. Here are three ways you can easily integrate tech into your household and reduce your carbon footprint.
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Smart Thermostats
Warming and cooling your home takes a lot of energy. The University of Michigan's Center for Sustainable Systems says it's about 41 percent of the overall energy usage in the household. The more energy you use, the worse it is for the planet, so this is the obvious place to start your green-living journey. Smart thermostats can massively reduce your energy consumption while still keeping your household comfortable. They can help reduce your monthly energy bill at the same time.
Smart thermostats like the Nest Thermostat will learn your household's patterns and preferences and can automatically adjust the temperature up or down depending on whether you are home and the time of day. The Ecobee SmartThermostat is another great option, and it has a temperature sensor and a built-in Alexa speaker. Reducing the temperature in your home, even a few degrees can massively reduce your energy consumption. This makes it a worry-free way to live greener without making much of an effort.
Smart Lighting
Switching your home to smart lighting can be another great way to reduce energy consumption. Smart bulbs use LED technology, meaning they can give off the same amount of light as a traditional bulb while using a fraction of the energy. They also last a lot longer, so there is less waste.
Smart lighting takes that great technology a step further. You can set lights in your home to turn on and off automatically, based on your routine and needs. So instead of leaving a lamp on all day because you don't want to come home in the dark, you can either turn the light on remotely via your smartphone or simply time it to turn on every day at dusk. This is also a great burglary deterrent, as you can make it appear that someone is home when you are out. Many smart lighting options allow you to adjust the color of the lighting, too. That way you can add mood lighting to your parties or movie nights without worrying about boosting your energy bill.
Smart Appliances
If you are going to be replacing any appliances soon, look for smart appliances that are more energy-efficient. Most appliances, including dishwashers, refrigerators, and dryers, will come with an Energy Star rating. The higher the rating, the more efficiently that appliance uses energy to perform its job.
Internet-enabled appliances can give you even more control over their energy consumption. For instance, you can make sure you turned off the coffee machine after you left the house simply by checking your phone. A lot of appliances passively consume energy even when they aren't in use. But smart appliances get to know your routines and power down when you aren't using them. You can also set your appliances to run on off-peak times, such as in the middle of the night or while you are at work, putting less strain on the energy grid.
To get the most out of your smart appliances, you’ll need a speedy home internet connection for your devices. Fortunately, 5G internet service has arrived in some metropolitan areas with ultra-fast speeds and barely any lag time.
How are you making your home more eco-friendly? Investing in smart home technology will give you more control over your energy consumption. You'll be able to make sure appliances are only using as much energy as absolutely necessary. Smart technology is getting easier to install and use, too, so it's quickly becoming the new standard of home technology. Put these tips to work in your home and see how much they can reduce your global impact and your energy bill.
Marcus Lansky
marcus.lansky@abilitator.biz
Image via Pixabay
