Published on August 15th, 2014 | by Guest

Top eco gadgets

There’s no shortage of products on the market that boast about their environmentally-friendly properties. However, all too often these so called eco gadgets do not live up to expectation. With this in mind, this short guide helps you to identify green products that really do deliver.

LEDs

It’s worth investigating a range of new technology LED lights that have recently come onto the market. These lights provide energy savings of up to 85% and help to cut carbon emissions at the same time.

US innovator Soraa has developed LED lights with exceptional colour rendering and beam characteristics. Soraa bulbs are perfect for use in the home, in the retail and hospitality sectors or in light-sensitive places like art galleries and museums.

The key is the Colour Render Index (CRI) and the higher the number, the better and more “natural” light is produced. Far superior to halogen, the company’s unique GaN on GaN technology produces 95 CRI with true representation of colour, crisp shadows and brilliant detail.
Soraa LEDs also run cooler than hot halogen and have no IR or UV radiation.

Smart bulbs

Samsung Smart bulb

Another big step in lighting is the smart bulb. Companies like Samsung and Philips are leading the way with LED lights that do more than just illuminate spaces.
The Samsung Smart Bulb uses Bluetooth technology to give the user control directly from a mobile device. People will be able to control the dimming and light intensity of up to 64 LED lamps, without the need for other equipment, saving energy and cutting carbon while maximising light quality.

Meanwhile, the Philips Hue Connected Bulb can be controlled in a similar way but connects on Wi-Fi networks. Users in homes, offices, and retail and hospitality environments can control the intensity and hue of each individual lamp from a smartphone or tablet.

Rechargeable batteries

USBcell rechargeable battery

At the other end of the eco gadget spectrum, USB rechargeable batteries, like the Moixa and USBCell models help the planet by cutting down on the billions of alkaline batteries being disposed of each year. The batteries have a built-in USB plug and will recharge from any USB charger.

Water-saving gadgets

Saving and recycling water is at the top of any eco list and a simple, effective gadget like Petal Drops makes a substantial difference. This affordable eco product fits onto plastic bottles and is then used to collect rain water very effectively.

petal drops

With a water recycling kit or bath or shower water diverter, you can easily use greywater in your garden. It’s simple to fit one of these devices to the exterior bath waste pipe, allowing water to flow into a storage butt. You could also connect a diverter directly to a hosepipe.

In the kitchen, a vacuum kettle, which utilises the same technology found in a Thermos flask, keeps water heated for hours, so you use less electricity when heating again.
The water pebble eco gadget monitors how much water goes down the plughole when showering and lights up green, orange, and red to show when users are taking longer than usual. It also shortens the time by seven seconds on each use, helping to cut back on water use. Combine that with a Hansgrohe EcoSmart shower head that ingeniously mixes air with water flow, cutting water use by at least half and saving on heating and pumping energy.

Vacuum kettle

waterpebble

In the food department, energy-efficient cooking is all the rage and the simple but brilliant Wonderbag makes slow cooking enjoyable and easy. After boiling the food with a quick heat, the gadget envelopes the utensil in a beanbag-like covering, sealing in the heat so the food goes on cooking but uses no extra gas or electric. An additional environmental advantage of using one of these products is that the company gives a free bag to a family in Africa for every one sold in the UK.

Wonderbag

About the author:

Mark Sait is managing director of SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com, a full-service efficiency partner helping businesses and households reduce energy and water consumption, and cutting carbon emissions to improve sustainability.

Tags: battery, eco, gadgets, led, petal drops, rechargeable, smart bulbs, top, water pebble, Wonderbag