CHECK Berlin/Brandenburg #7

Energy transition
As much as necessary,
as little as possible
Save resources, electricity and greenhouse
gases in everyday digital life
ENGLISH
The corona pandemic has turbo-charged digitization in Germany.
Although digitalization is often seen as a more sustainable
alternative, the Federation for the Environment and Nature
Conservation Germany (BUND e.V.) also draws attention to its
digital footprint. As wherever we move in the digital world, we
leave traces in the analog world. That is an average of 740
kilograms of greenhouse gases per capita and year. Irmela
Colaço, expert for energy saving at BUND, therefore shares the
following thoughts:
DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
The potential of digital tools is great, but we always
have to be aware of how we use them. In
order to keep the negative effects of our digital
everyday life on people, the climate and natural
resources to a minimum, we should buy as few
new devices as possible.
REPAIR INSTEAD OF THROWING
AWAY
Some things can be repaired. Workshops and
repair cafés help with this. Many non-commercial
digital platforms also offer instructions
and tools to repair on your own. Fortunately, if a
repair is not possible, there are more and more
companies that offer used and refurbished devices
including a guarantee. It is also important
not to simply leave old devices in the drawer
or throw them in the trash, but to recycle them
properly.
SAVE OVER 100 EUROS PER YEAR
When it comes to using devices, it is also
worthwhile for the environment and your wallet
to critically review your habits. The smaller the
screen on which we watch a video, the less
energy we use. Many devices are also always
on call and thus unnoticed draw a lot of energy
throughout the year. This means that electricity
costs of over 100 Euros per year can be incurred
just because a large number of networked
devices are ready to connect to the WLAN.
BUND e.V. therefore recommends switching off
unused devices completely.
DATA TRANSMISSION COSTS ENERGY
Is the picture in the home cinema still sharp
enough even at a lower resolution? Do I have to
stream music with video or is the sound enough?
Have I downloaded my favorite songs or do I pull
them from the web every time? Incidentally, data
transmission in mobile communications uses
around five times as much energy as over the
fixed network. It is better to make video calls at
home than when you are out and about. Because
then digital helpers play their trump card and are
much more climate-friendly than a trip by car,
public transport or train. (ic,mb)
You can find more information at:
www.bund.net/digitale-leichtigkeit
CHECK BERLIN/BRANDENBURG #7
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