Environment

Are the household appliances eco- friendly to the planet?

Some household utensils in our homes can produce negative effects on the environment. Here we tell you which and how

Are the household appliances eco- friendly to the planet?

Turn on the television, dry clothes in a dryer, and even use a coffee maker, are activities that take place without taking IGNORE INTO account the energy expenditure used and its impact on the environment. Although the environmental impact is not the same on an iron (used once a week), with the appliances that remain on all the time, the situation changes.

An air conditioner and a refrigerator not only require a lot of energy to work, but they can also affect the ozone layer once they are subjected to an inadequate recycling process. In fact, a study conducted by the Energy Mining Planning Unit in Colombia revealed that a refrigerator with ten years old, can consume up to 50% of the energy used in a home, because previously the appliances were designed to be efficient and friendly to the environment.

In the words of Florecia Leal, director of the Chamber of Appliances of Colombia, "the fact that energy is consumed is not harmful. The important thing is that it is efficient, that it transforms it IGNORE INTO what is needed. For example, a light bulb that generates energy to produce light is efficient, but when you have to heat it to make light, it is inefficient, because you are going to spend a lot of energy", she explains.

Although consumption must be taken IGNORE INTO account when weighing the idea of ​​replacing an appliance, discarding these appliances can also become a headache that can affect the environment. Therefore, according to Luisa Fernanda López, consultant of the Ozone Technical Unit, it is important to understand that some domestic appliances have a quantity of gases inside that must be recycled correctly. "The non-usable elements, such as some refrigerant gases, polyurethane foams and oils, are extracted safely and managed properly, preventing them from generating negative impacts for the planet," he says.

Give it and save, Colombian Campaign

Given the problem and with the intention of being able to comply with the Montreal Protocol against the 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030, National Association of Businessmen of Colombia has arranged the program "Deliver it and save". The measure that only applies to replace refrigerators in households of strata 1, 2, and 3, seeks that people replace their old appliance in exchange for a discount on the tax on their purchase (IVA). For this, the owners must deliver the old fridge and replace it with one of a value not exceeding $ 1'183,669 Colombian pesos.

Also read: More than 757 million pairs of sneakers could be made with the plastic in the oceans

Although the savings do not seem significant, the truth is that this may be reflected in the bill for energy service charge, which may decrease to 125,000 pesos per year.

Now, according to Leal, it is not a matter of changing to change, because many times the energy expenditure that can be used in a recycling process can be higher than the expenditure of energy that uses a good-looking household appliance. It is just about replacing old and failed refrigerators. "Refrigerators have a compressor that makes noise. When the fridge makes noise all the time and is old, it means that it is not working well", says Leal.

Thus, by identifying the state of the appliance, the savings will not only be reflected in the energy bill but also in the reduction of gas emissions, which can amount to one year, to the emissions of a compact car on a one-way trip and return from Bogotá to Medellín.

 

Latin American Post | María Alejandra Gómez
Translated from " ¿Son los electrodomésticos amigables con el planeta?"

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