IT'S EASY BEING GREEN
TO MARK NEXT THURSDAY’S EARTH DAY, LUCY HEDGES ROUNDS UP THE TECHY LIFE HACKS THAT WILL HELP YOU DO YOUR BIT FOR THE PLANET
REPURPOSE OLD STUFF
Step away from the bin! When it comes to electronic waste, the UK is the second-worst offender in Europe. According to research by rubbish removal company Clearitwaste, the average UK household is guilty of generating eight-and-a-half stone of e-waste per year. That’s the equivalent of 20 22in computer monitors. While there are many options for selling or donating devices to charity, there are plenty of ways you can breathe new life into them. It’s very likely you have one or two old
devices lying around the house, so why not put them to work as a security camera or baby monitor? You’ll need software and a decent wi-fi connection, which makes Manything or Alfred (free, Android and iOS) good places to start. They provide a constant video feed that you can tap into using another device from anywhere in the world. Just remember it’ll need to stay connected to a power supply at all times.
SAVE PLASTIC BOTTLES
Why splash out on bottled water when you can have it on tap with the SodaStream Spirit (£99, sodastream. co.uk)? Research indicates that we use 7.7billion plastic bottles each year in the UK. That breaks down to an average of 117 bottles per person. This retro household fixture (right) ends the need to buy single-use plastic bottles by transforming tap water into sparkling H2O. Each gas cylinder creates up to 60 litres of sparkling water, and according to its creators, each SodaStream saves 1,282 single-use plastic bottles from being used. Did we mention you can make cocktails with it too?
DITCH THE CAR
Swapping the car for cycling just one day a week can have a significant impact on personal carbon emissions. But if you’d like to ditch the car in favour of a pricey electric metal steed, you might want to first try Swytch’s clever eBike conversion kit (from £999, pre-order, swytchbike.com). Consisting of a motor wheel that replaces your bike’s front wheel, and a handlebarmounted quick-release battery unit, a cadence sensor checks how fast you’re pedalling, calculates the optimum power needed and adjusts the power accordingly, converting your bog-standard bike into an electric one to give you a boost when you need it. Expect 250W of power, five power levels, a top speed of 20mph and enough juice to peddle hell for leather for up to 30 miles.
REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS
With large amounts of wasted energy in our homes, smart lighting and electric blinds can play a fundamental role. That makes Lutron’s RA2 Select system (from £600) a genius way to reduce bills. By