Simple steps ‘can help make homes greener’

People who are keen to go green by making their use of computers and printer supplies as efficient as possible have been advised there are many simple steps they can take around the home to cut their carbon footprint.

The government has set ambitious targets that call for the UK to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases it emits by 60 per cent by 2050, but it was noted by British Gas that making large changes such as switching to an electric car or buying an eco-house are not suitable for everyone.

However, the energy supplier noted that by taking steps to reduce usage in the home and recycle as many materials as possible, every household can do its bit.

Indeed, it was recently observed by HP that technology accounts for two per cent of global carbon emissions, with PCs, printers and monitors playing a major role in this, PC Advisor reported.

One addition people can make to their home is to fit standby shutdown gadgets to electrical goods, which may include TVs, games consoles or printers. British Gas noted these can detect when a person places an item into standby mode instead of switching it off at the wall and then shuts off the power supply automatically.

As devices that are on standby can still draw anything between 15 and 70 per cent of the power of their normal working capacity, this could make a significant difference to a home's carbon footprint, as well as saving individuals money on their electricity bills.

Other green items suggested by British Gas include EcoButtons for a PC, which will put a computer into low-power mode at a single touch, before powering it back up again when a user makes any input on the keyboard.

However, the organisation also warned individuals to be wary of products such as expensive recycling bins and usage monitors that will have no direct impact on the amount of energy saved in a home.

"Some green gadgets can help you lead an eco-friendly lifestyle but as any other object, they've contributed CO2 in production and transportation," the company said, urging people to think carefully about the benefits before making a purchase.