If you have been following KBO earth blog, you would clearly know how serious the situation of global warming crisis at present and how risky it is. Isn’t it time to look back on what we can do more for planet earth besides sorting wastes or planting trees? May I introduce to you on how to start from these 7 easy methods by adjusting a bit of our lifestyle that can really help save this world.
1. Using internet through LAN or WIFI whenever possible
It is because the data amount sent through WIFI uses less than half of the energy comparing to sending through mobile network. Moreover, the quality of data sending is more stable but sometimes we forget to switch to WIFI once at home or at work and continue to use from mobile data recklessly since each network provides users with unlimited promotion that some people even cancel WIFI network from home!
2. Switching off mobile phone when not in use
Many of you choose to turn on mobile phone all the time even bedtime. This causes inefficient sleep. Since not only the brain get disrupted by the magnetic wave constantly, your mobile also receives stimulation from electrical signal as well. Although mobile phones nowadays will automatically cut the electricity when it is fully charged, the accumulated heat still exists leading to a battery deterioration resulting in more electronic wastes, respectively.
3. Deleting unnecessary applications
Especially free applications that we’ve downloaded when there are promotions, special discounts, or the ones we’ve heard good reviews about as we anticipate to use it some days and that some days never seem to come. Utilizing those applications did not use that much energy regardless of being online or offline. The important part is that it requires us to keep “updating” those applications, some even on a daily basis. Although some updates did not yield significant benefit and only to stimulate us to think about and use those apps, opening apps generates their revenue.
4. Reducing unnecessary chats
An effective way to communicate yet also the most energy saving is to use basic function from telephone for conversations. In communicating with large number of people via email should be minimized to a certain group needed and avoid using Reply-all in order to reduce unnecessary recipients causing disturbances. For chats via WhatsApp or LINE on common words such as “Thank you”, “Got it”, “OK”, or “LOL”, a British energy company called OVO initiated “Think Before You Thank” campaign urging adults in the UK to send one less thank you email which could save up to 16,433 tons of carbon a year.
5. Unsubscribing to unwanted emails
We approximately received about 2,850 unopened emails per year from registering for services both online and offline, of which most of them we will automatically delete by only glancing at sender’s name. Wouldn’t it be better to spend a little more time to select “unsubscribe” button so there’ll be no more rubbish emails to irritate you? This would benefit us for not wasting our time to delete them daily. It also saves mailbox space, reduce the use of internet, and even help decrease the amount of carbon emission up to 28.5 kg. per person.
6. Using alternative search engines
We are very much familiar with Google where our data will be collected in Big Data but still, we don’t seem to care. There are other alternatives such as Ecosia which looks more simpler and is doing a tree planting campaign with every 45 of your searches a tree will be planted. While Microsoft, which owns Bing search engine, has claimed that they are to become carbon negative by 2030 meaning the more usage, the better for the earth. Although the efforts are still underway, know knows if they can do as they’ve advertised. So, let’s give it a try.
7. Changing mobile only when necessary
The report from Greenpeace let us know how much energy were used to process one mobile phone. The research of Edinburgh University has found that if we extend the use of the same mobile phone for longer from the average of 4 years to 6 years, we can reduce carbon emission as much as 190 kg.
Let’s start now… we can help the world and our children today before it’s too late!
Source: “Why your internet habits are not as clean as you think”, bbc.com
Article By Rachata Wongkarnwanich
Translation By Napassakorn Oveerawong