One of the biggest advantages of having an Internet connection is that you can do a lot of things faster and cheaper online, avoiding unnecessary hassle and saving time and money in the process. But have you ever thought that you can also use less energy, save whole reams of paper and contribute to a better environment by using the Internet for many of your everyday tasks?
That’s right! And here are some ideas to get you started. We’re sure you can think up many more, so please do share them with us by adding a comment to this post.
And being able to do so much online from the comfort of your home doesn’t mean you have to be a couch potato. On the contrary, you’ll have more time to go out and enjoy the things you really like doing.
Send E-mail and save the trees
This one must be quite obvious, but just think about it. Free, instantaneous communication to anywhere in the world without using paper (remember that even recycled paper has an environmental cost) and no post van needed to drive your letter around! With an increasing number of people and businesses getting their own e-mail accounts you’ll have more and more opportunities to be greener by not using paper and to save money on stamps and get quicker replies from your contacts too.
Ditch your car and shop online
When you shop online, you don’t have to waste time and money driving around shops getting stuck in traffic and spewing out toxic gases into the atmosphere. And whether you’re looking to buy the latest electronic gadget or simply hunting for yet another woolly scarf for dad’s birthday, you can easily compare prices and get the best deal on the Internet. Even in cases where you absolutely must visit the shop and see the product in your hands, you can cut down drastically on a lot of commuting by checking online first and visiting just the one or two shops with the best prices.
What’s more, many supermarkets now offer you the chance to shop for groceries online. One example is Mercadona supermarket in Spain, where you can simply visit their website, tick off the products you require and place an order within minutes. Mercadona will deliver you shopping to your door and guarantees that their staff will select your products with the same care you would. You do have to pay a small fee for the service, but that is generally much less than the value of the time and fuel you use to do it yourself. And one delivery van servicing dozens of online shoppers means less traffic congestion, less emissions and a better environment for us all.
More news – No paper!
Why pay a Euro or two for a newspaper when you can get all the latest news online for free the very same day things happen? And again you’re saving on paper, and even some exhaust from newspaper delivery vans too. Once you see the amazing selection of free news websites – many with the same content as your traditional paper – you’re guaranteed not to miss the old fish ‘n’ chip wrapper type you used to pay for at the newsagent’s.
Get started by visiting www.bbcnews.com and www.typicallyspanish.com or just search for your favourite newspaper’s website on Google.
Wave the dreaded bank queues and wasteful paperwork goodbye
Gone are the days of queuing for ages at the bank to make a money transfer or whatnot. Nowadays, there’s almost nothing you cannot do online except withdraw or deposit actual cash. Besides, most banks have very secure websites and servers and are constantly improving their technology to make online banking easier and safer than ever. Your bank will provide you with the necessary details you need to access your account online. This way you save time, avoid having to drive around and even do away with the piles of tree-eating paperwork that is inevitable when banks process your transactions manually.
Get cheaper travel tickets or even organise your whole holiday online
From flights, to hotels, to airport parking, if you’re going anywhere, you can book it all online and usually at very much reduced rates compared to your travel agent. Once again, the Internet is your best friend when it comes to shopping around for the best deals and comparing prices from the comfort of your home, saving time, hassle and needless driving around in your car. Besides, you will find other travellers’ online reviews of hotels, restaurants and attractions, so you easily can easily find out where to get the best value for your money. You can even research your destination at leisure with the many online holiday guides, complete with photos and lots of other useful information.
Try websites like www.expedia.co.uk or www.rumbo.es for flights, hotels and car hire. And www.fodors.com is excellent for getting ideas and information on where to visit and what attractions to see as well as for finding the answers to a thousand other questions about planning your trip.
Use up-to-date, lightning fast and paper free online information directories
Need a plumber urgently? Lost the phone number of an old friend? You can look up all sorts of information faster in online business and telephone directories and the information you get is surely more up to date too! There are many different business directories and other information services available. Just for starters, try the Spanish yellow pages (www.paginasamarillas.es) and telephone directory (blancas.paginasamarillas.es). Imagine the paper saving when printed directories eventually become unnecessary.
Find all you need to know using online dictionaries and encyclopaedias
On the subject of paper saving, what’s the point of having dozens of encyclopaedia volumes spanning from wall to wall if you can find more up-to-date information online for free? The same thing goes for dictionaries, whether you need to translate a word into Spanish or look up a definition. We’re sure you know about Wikipedia, but you might also want to try Microsoft Encarta Online or search dozens of specialised encyclopaedias at one go on www.encyclopedia.com. Try www.dictionary.com for definitions and www.wordreference.com for translating from and to any of several languages.
Music and Films the greener way
Using software such as iTunes, you can legally download the music of your choice for very low fees. You can enjoy your songs on your computer or MP3 player and don’t have to burn them on CD if you don’t use that format, thus saving on plastic and paper. It may not sound like much, but when it comes to the environment every little bit counts!
Besides, more and more movie production firms are offering the possibility to download movies online, and in a nearby future, you will be able to watch worldwide TV channels directly through the Internet. No more late night trudging to your local movie rental and, worse still, having to make the trip again the next day to return the DVD means more potential fuel savings.
Just think that your typical desktop computer uses around 175 Watts of power (laptops use much less) and can run for a whole 8 hours for less than the price of a local postage stamp. This is far less energy than you need to even start your car, which makes it a no-brainer to put these 8 suggestions for going green with the Internet to good use. Of course you should also turn off your computer (or at least put it on standby) when you’re not using it and save even more energy.
And don’t forget to share your own ideas for using the Internet to be greener by dropping us a note in our comments section!
