Household Technology Can Aid in the Fight Against Climate Change

The advancements in technology over the past centuries have greatly contributed to climate change. Even now, technology continues to emit greenhouse gases that trap heat and cause warming of the planet.

However, technology is not inherently bad. Devices have been developed to improve the lives of people all over the world. Smartphones allow people to remain connected to their loved ones at all times. Laptops enable workers and students to access information or submit their tasks wherever they may be. Cars bring people wherever they need to go.

Moreover, technology can become the key to addressing climate change. While it has been a tool in the destruction of the planet, it can also prevent future environmental collapse.

In fact, technology is already being used to fight climate change. Many households are now generating power from solar panels which have, over the past year, improved and become more affordable. The emergence of new solar power companies made clean energy more accessible to regular households. The availability of solar panels allows people to stop relying on the grid which still mostly generates power from non-renewable sources.

Here are other existing and future technologies that can help the fight against climate change at home:

Smarter Appliances

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been on the rise for years and it is only becoming more popular. More households now have at least one smart device that can connect to the internet. Over the years, television, thermostats, light bulbs, refrigerators, speakers, vacuum cleaners, and other appliances have grown smarter.

In the near future, once more households adopt more IoT devices, they can lower their energy consumption. Devices may be able to not only know when a person is in the room but count how many people are present. Sensors can gather information about ambient temperatures inside and outside the house to adjust the thermostat automatically. Lights will shut off when not in use or reduce their brightness depending on what the homeowner prefers.

These things can all contribute toward lower energy consumption. There will be less energy wasted because every aspect is optimized to suit the needs of the homeowners. The savings may not seem a lot but, over time, and when multiplied with millions of households, there will be lower demand to the grid.

Self-Adjusting Window Tint

Windows allow natural daylight to enter the home but, sometimes, it gets too much. The rays of the sun can also increase the temperature indoors during an already hot day. The air conditioner will have to work harder to cool a room.

Windows that can auto-adjust depending on the amount of sun may one day become widely available. Multiple companies are already developing smart windows that can change their tint from clear to dark when it is too hot out. This will prevent a room from becoming too hot.

Many air conditioners are not actually eco-friendly. Utilizing them less often, hopefully with the help of smart windows, will lower the carbon footprint of the household.

Food Waste Apps

The growing population around the world will increase the demand for food over the next decades. Unfortunately, food production is a massive contributor to climate change.

Right now, the world is producing enough food for everyone on the planet with a bit more to spare. A lot of it goes to waste. Many households buy more food than they need, store these food items in the fridge or pantry until they rot, and then throw them away.

One study estimates that an average American household wastes about 31.9 percent of its food. A total of $240 billion worth of food is thrown away by every household in the United States per year.

Planning is necessary to solve the problem of food waste. However, not everyone has the time to sit down and plan what they will eat for the entire week. Many people also shop based on what they want at that moment, not what they know they need. Consumers end up walking out of the grocery store buying more than what they initially planned.

Apps can provide a solution to household food waste. There are apps that create a personalized recipe based on what ingredients are available in the fridge or pantry. There are also meal planning apps that automatically create grocery lists. Apps can make something as tedious as plotting what dishes to make for the entire week.  

Technology can aid in the fight against climate change, but people still need to make major lifestyle alterations that consider the fate of the planet. Technology can only be a tool. Humans will need to act to save Earth.