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19th April 2021
05:21pm BST

Thinking about what your tech is made from can also help. There are brands out there like audio specialist House of Marley, which has ditched unsustainable plastic in their record turntables and uses FSC-certified wood, sustainable bamboo and recycled fabrics. Tech giant HP are also incorporating renewable materials like beetroot pulp, eggshells and fruit peels in their new HP Spectre 14 laptop, which also arrives in sustainably sourced packaging.
There are also green hacks you can make while you're out and about. Feeling peckish? Rather than popping to a supermarket or fast-food place, use an app that fights food waste and saves you money in the process. These apps are designed to let you know when local shops and businesses are getting ready to throw out food, so you can take it for a reduced price, all while minimising food waste. When deciding on a route to get you from A to B, think of the mantra of the modern era - there's an app for that. If you're concerned about the carbon footprint of your driving, consider downloading an app which presents you not with the easiest or quickest route necessarily, but the least harmful route that will have minimal impact on the environment. Ultimately, the best way to use your tech to live sustainably is to find the brands you vibe with. If you put your money where your mouth is, you are sending a message to these brands that sustainable living is the way forward. The power of the pound is a sure-fire way of initiating change. If you need a helping hand on making sure you are buying from brands that align with your values, check out sites such as Good on You, an app which rates and compares fashion brands based on their ethical and eco credentials.Voting with your wallet has never been more important, whether it’s the clothes you wear, food you eat or the technology you use to access it all. HP, for instance, is recognised as having the world's most sustainable PC portfolio, as well as being logged as one of the most ethical companies in the world. They have eliminated deforestation for HP branded paper since 2016 and have committed to eradicating 75 per cent of single use plastic in HP packaging by 2025. Newsweek has also named them as the most responsible company in America for environmental, social and governance performance for two years in a row
But it’s not just about reducing waste in this country. Last year, HP expanded its initiative in tackling the problem of ocean-bound plastics in Haiti through a major investment to build a high-tech plastic 'washing line' . This new facility employs local collectors, who pick up plastic from Haiti's streets, canals, and beaches, otherwise destined for the ocean. This plastic is sorted, washed and shredded in order to be recycled into future HP products. Since launching the ocean-plastics programme in 2016, HP has diverted more than 1.7 million pounds (771 tonnes) – equivalent to over 60 million bottles – of ocean-bound plastic.
We can’t all live a perfectly eco-life. But, there are many routes to living more sustainably and it's important to remember to try to do your bit. In order to make long-lasting and meaningful tweaks to your life, find the services and products that allow you to make those changes to the best of your ability.
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