Energy efficient electrical goods
Computers, TVs and electronic gadgets need large amounts of energy and raw materials to produce. Also, dealing with electronic waste is a growing challenge. By cutting down on energy use and disposing of unwanted equipment carefully, you can cut the harmful impact of electronic goods on the environment.
Buy energy efficient equipment
The following tips can help you choose energy saving electrical equipment:
- smaller products usually use less electricity than bigger ones of the same type
- look for the energy label, which rates appliances on an energy efficiency scale and shows how much energy they use
- laptops use about one-sixth of the energy of a desktop computer while running
- look for the Ecolabel or the TCO labels for IT equipment
- some kettles have unnecessary features that use up extra electricity, like lights or 'keep warm' functions - so try to avoid these
- The TCO label
- Home appliances
Buy refurbished electrical goods
Some shops sell refurbished white good such as fridges and freezers.
Buying refurbished means you can:
- stop valuable resources from going to landfill
- help your local council meet their recycling and reuse targets
- save energy and raw materials
- help create and sustain local jobs
Look for the label
When buying a new appliance, look out for the energy ratings label and think about the size of the appliance that you need.
Energy labels rate products from A to G in terms of energy use, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient.
When buying new electrical items
When you buy a new electrical item, ask the shop where you buy it how they will help you recycle the item you're replacing. Under the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, they must either:
- accept in-store, free of charge an electronic item similar to the new item you're buying
- tell you where you can take the old item for recycling free of charge
Some shops also offer a ‘collection on delivery’ service and will take away your old electrical items when delivering new items. This isn't part of the WEEE Regulations, so you may be charged for this service.