Check out these 5 Eco-friendly lifestyle technologies

In 2018 people are finally starting to place sustainability and the environment as a priority.

The media has been buzzing with this idea that this year will be huge for making steps toward the human race being more sustainable and having a better relationship with the globe. Whilst we mustn’t be complacent, it seems that many more of the world’s governments, corporations and communities are choosing to operate in a more eco-friendly manner. With the growing popularity of eco-conscious industry leaders like Elon Musk, it is becoming a requirement for every company and industry to show that they are thinking ‘green’. Everyone that’s been paying attention to these developments has been looking to contribute to the landscape of green thinking, and people are looking for more and more ways to live sustainably.

For those looking for the most up-to-date ways to keep green, we have compiled a list of five eco-friendly technologies to check out in 2018.

Smart Homes

The huge boom in popularity for Amazon and Google’s digital assistants, the Echo and Home units respectively, has officially paved the way for truly Sci-Fi smart homes. The next few years should see people adopting smart home technology as more than just the gimmick it has traditionally been. The technology has matured, and now it really does work – you can command your Echo or Home to do a whole host of stuff, and they’ll understand you and action your command first time…usually.

The eco-benefits for the widespread adoption of smart-homes are huge as well. With the complex sensors they have to hand, these systems can detect when to turn on and off heating and lighting in specific rooms, depending on whether there are any people inside or not. They can also be more strategic with when heating needs to be on and off to maintain a consistent temperature, and as time goes on even more functionalities including window control will aid this smart temperature management.

All of these things reduce the amount of electricity and fuel users end up using, and should make a significant impact on their carbon footprint.

Sharing Economy Apps

The sharing economy has evolved hugely since the end of the noughties. The idea is simple, but has some profound implications for the global economy and the environment: it is the collection of apps and platforms that facilitate people who own things to let other people use them, often for a fee. Sharing economy apps assist us in using the planet’s resources more conscientiously.

Landmark services under the sharing economy include AirBnB and BlaBlaCar and they themselves have been reported to wage environmental benefits. AirBnB released a study of 8,000 stays and found that compared to the equivalent stays in hotels, people used 88% less water and reduced their energy consumption by 37% – impressive statistics.

Another newer service on the sharing economy block is Fat Lama, the peer-to-peer item rental app. This allows people to rent almost anything from their neighbours, from drones through to bikes. The eco-saving made here is that Fat Lama are aiming to reduce the amount people buy, therefore reducing the amount produced in a factory. In that way, people renting from their neighbours in the circular economy are contributing to making the world a more sustainable place. Fat Lama currently operates in the UK and USA; with other countries planned soon.

Soda Stream

Ok, so Sodastream has been around for quite a while now, but it has recently seen a new wind of popularity, partly due to the eco-benefits it can bring to a household. It is a simple but effective solution to being eco-friendly – by making your own soft-drinks and fizzy water at home, you save hugely on the plastic you end up not using.

If you’re a fan of fizzy drinks, you’ll know the slow but surely growing mountain of plastic bottles and cans you produce in consuming your favourite carbonated drinks. With a sodastream, you essentially eliminate this wastage, and in the process reduce your stamp on the environment.

Solar Power

While solar is not new, the Guardian has reported that 2018 has been predicted as the year for solar power, going so far as to dub the oncoming popularity as the sun-rush. The idea has been around for years, but it’s only been recently that the technology has really become super affordable, as well as super efficient. If you are looking to find a way to boost your sustainability this year, definitely think about investing in solar technology.

There are now government schemes in place to help homes cope with the financial burden of energy costs by putting solar panels on people’s roofs. Elon Musk from Tesla has also unveiled a recent project whereby good-looking roofing tiles also double up as solar panels. Even outside of these, investing money into solar panelling will be an amazing investment for you and the planet.

Electric Vehicles

People are really jumping on the electric car hype-train in 2018. The industry leaders appear to be making leaps and bounds with the technology, and it seems that the automobile industry (alongside driverless technology) is due a shakeup as major as the rollout of the Ford Model T in 1908.

Compared to 2013, which saw 3,500 electric cars on the road in Britain, there are now over 140,000 people driving in petrol free motors in Britain, largely thanks to a more integrated recharging network, and, critically, changing perceptions on the environmentally damaging petrol powered vehicles and the benefits of their electric counterparts.

In Germany and Japan sales of electric vehicles more than doubled in 2017.

If you are shopping for a new car, this is the technology to invest in as an early adopter, as the technology is only going to increase in popularity and viability as the years go on, especially for those living in cities.

So there you have it, five technologies that are leading the way in 2018 to a more eco-friendly future.

For more:

Fat Lama
AirBnB
Google Home
Tesla

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