Eco-friendly buying |
In our bid for “greener” lifestyles, many of us consider replacing our existing household appliances, or even our car, with new and more energy-efficient models. But just because a dishwasher uses less water, an air conditioner requires less electricity or a vehicle guzzles less gas, does buying it and perhaps sending the one it replaced to a landfill really do the planet a favor?
With input from eco experts, we took a look at the bigger picture of buying green — and what you can do to ensure that your consumer decisions have the desired environmental impact.
“The life cycle of any product can be thought of in a few key stages: production, transportation, use and disposal,” explained Dan Mitler, the principal consultant at Green Sight Consulting, an environmental sustainability consulting firm.
Most of us, however, tend to focus only on the “use” stage (for example the miles-per-gallon of a vehicle or electricity consumption of a refrigerator) when trying to make environmentally friendly purchases.
“Thinking about the entire life cycle of any given appliance, from production through to its final disposal, lets you see where the biggest environmental impacts are,” Mitler said. “If the biggest impacts are during the manufacturing/production stage, then buying a new one is probably not a great idea, unless your old one is very inefficient or no longer functioning.”
On the other hand, replacing appliances that leave their largest environmental footprint while in use, such as refrigerators (which require relatively large amounts of electricity and use ozone-layer-threatening chlorofluorocarbon coolants), is probably a greener maneuver. Choosing Energy Star products, which meet international standards for energy efficiency, is also a step in the right direction, but their certification is based chiefly (though not exclusively) on energy consumption while in use, rather than in the other stages of their life cycle.
“Energy Star only tells you that a model saves a minimum of 20% over non-labeled models,” said Darren Moore, co-host of the Planet Green channel’s “Alter Eco” and known as “the Eco-MacGyver.” “Purchase an Energy Star-labeled model, but look at the kilowatt [and] water usage — purchase the lowest- consumption model.”
How can you know how well your current appliances measure up to that shiny new model? “You can determine the energy use of your existing appliance by using a device that plugs in between the appliance and the wall,” Moore said. “ Look for a Kill A Watt meter, $20.”
The quality and durability of any new appliance should also be taken into account, because every time it needs replacing a whole new cycle of environmental impacts is initiated. And consider how many recyclable components a new machine contains because one day it too will be replaced and discarded.
Such “life-cycle thinking” also applies when considering the purchase of a new automobile.
“It’s important to look at a vehicle in terms of the energy it uses and pollutants it will emit over its life. The initial energy to make and dismantle a car is smaller than the amount it uses over time,” Moore said. “Aside from fuel economy, a new car will have a much cleaner-burning exhaust, especially if manufactured for sale in California, which cuts down on emissions. There are a few new cars on the market labeled as PZEV [partially zero emissions vehicles]. These are the cleanest of the combustion engine cars.”
Many experts insist that, to make replacing a vehicle truly an eco-responsible decision, the miles-per-gallon savings from the new model must be significant. “Clearly it’s complex, but I think the science will support the replacement of your 12 to 15 mpg car with something that gets 35 to 50-plus mpg [to make a positive environmental impact],” said Donald Strauss, interim chair of Urban Sustainability at Antioch University in Los Angeles.
Even if you’re convinced that a new device’s in-use energy savings will trump the resources and power consumed in its manufacture, there’s still the matter of how to dispose of the old one with minimal environmental impact. There are plenty of ways to get rid of an unwanted appliance or car responsibly — to ensure that the maximum proportion of its materials or parts is reused rather than ending up in a garbage dump.
If your old machine is still functioning, you could donate it to a charitable organization (which also usually qualifies as a tax-deductable donation) or simply sell it or give it away through websites like Craigslist or Freecycle. Otherwise, traditional recycling is the way to go. The city of L.A. offers curbside pickup of large household appliances for recycling; numerous area scrap yards will accept vehicles and appliances (and even pay you for them); and the Los Angeles Department of Public Works even offers tire recycling, including free tire-collection events.
Ultimately, green purchases should be driven by a product’s cradle-to-grave environmental impact. “Always consider purchasing the most locally made, durable, high-quality and energy-efficient items you can,” Moore concluded.
— Paul Rogers, Custom Publishing Writer
