Best Buy is committed to working with customers and vendor partners to create a more sustainable world for us all. We recognize that transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle can be intimidating; you may not know where to start. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are easy adjustments you can make today to reduce your carbon footprint. From managing your energy consumption more efficiently with the right tech to taking part in the circular economy by reducing, reusing, and recycling, here are a few suggestions you can start implementing to create a more sustainable world with Best Buy.
Manage your energy consumption efficiently with smart home devices
If you’re looking to live more sustainably, a good place to start is by taking a look at your energy consumption and exploring ways to optimize it. Making your home energy-efficient will not only help the environment, but also save money.
Smart thermostats optimally regulate your home’s temperature
Heating and cooling your home is essential in winter and summer. However, chances are that keeping your home at the right temperature is one of the major contributors to your carbon footprint. Natural Resources Canada reports that space heating accounted for 63.6% of the energy used in the average Canadian home in 2019. The good news is that there are easy ways to make your home more energy-efficient, including installing a smart thermostat. By adjusting temperature settings for optimal performance, smart thermostats can help you save energy and money. You can either manually set schedules to only heat or cool your home when you need to, or let the smart thermostat learn your household’s patterns and temperature preferences, so it can automatically regulate your home’s temperature based on your preferences.
Since smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled, you can also control your heating and cooling systems remotely with your smartphone. This helps ensure you’re not heating or cooling your home when nobody’s home. Smart thermostats also allow you to track your energy consumption and give you insights into your patterns, so you can manage your settings more efficiently.
Smart lighting ensures no light stays on when nobody’s home
Are you prone to forgetting to turn off the lights before leaving the house? Or do you have kids that tend to leave the lights on in the bathroom overnight? If so, you might want to consider smart lighting.
Smart light bulbs and light fixtures can help you save energy by allowing you to remotely turn off the lights with your smartphone. You can also use them together with motion sensors to automatically turn the lights on when someone enters the room and off when nobody’s home. This ensures that no light stays on longer than it needs to, without having to even think about it.
ENERGY STAR certified products use less energy
You’ve probably seen the blue ENERGY STAR label on some products when shopping for appliances and other devices. But what does it mean? ENERGY STAR is a label that certifies that the product meets specific standards for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR certified products perform as well as other products, but require less energy to function. For example, ENERGY STAR certified washing machines use about 20% less energy and about 30% less water than regular washers.
If you want to optimize your energy consumption, consider switching to ENERGY STAR certified products. The specifications products have to meet to earn the label are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and vary depending on the product category. What makes ENERGY STAR a trusted label is that certifications are performed by a third-party entity. Even after a product has earned the label, ongoing verification testing takes place to ensure the product still meets the specifications. Make sure to read this article about how ENERGY STAR certified products can help you save energy to learn more.
Take part in the Circular Techonomy
In a circular economy, nothing is wasted. Add a focus on technology, and you get a “Circular Techonomy”. This system is guided by the principles of reuse, reduce, and recycle. Best Buy has several programs in place to ensure products are used for as long as possible before being recovered and recycled.
Repair to extend the lifespan of your products
Sometimes, just because a product stopped working doesn’t mean that it has reached the end of its life … you might be able to repair it! Ordering replacement pieces when possible or taking your product to a specialist to diagnose it might be all you need to extend the life of your device. Not only will you contribute to reducing what gets sent to landfills, but you’ll likely also save money by not having to purchase a replacement.
If one of your devices has stopped functioning and you’re not sure about what’s wrong with it or how to repair it, our Geek Squad agents can help. Chat with an agent online or bring your product to your nearest Best Buy store to diagnose it and repair it.
Trade-in your device to receive a gift card
If your device is still working properly, but you would like to upgrade your tech, don’t throw it away. Bring it to a participating Best Buy store to trade it in and you might receive a gift card to use towards your next purchase. One of our Blue Shirts will estimate the value of your device based on features like its age, condition, and model, amongst others. You’ll then receive a Best Buy gift card for the value of your device.
The traded products are either reused or recycled to ensure minimal waste.
Consider refurbished products
Another way to live a more sustainable lifestyle is to consider getting a refurbished product when you need new tech. Refurbished products are fully inspected, repaired if necessary, and thoroughly cleaned so they can be used again. This helps reduce electronic waste. While refurbished products are not brand new, they are certified to be in full working condition and come with a 90-day warranty. By purchasing a refurbished product, you’re essentially getting a fully functioning device, inspected by a qualified 3rd party refurbisher, taking part in the circular economy, and saving money.
Best Buy carries many refurbished products on its Marketplace. The devices are available in three conditions: excellent, good, and fair. Excellent means that the product is in 100% working order and has few to no visible signs of wear. Good signals that the product is fully functional and has light signs of wear or micro-scratches. Finally, fair means that the product is in full working condition and has visible signs of wear or scratches.
Recycle your old electronics and batteries
Do you have old batteries and electronics you don’t know what to do with? Bring them to a Best Buy store to dispose of them sustainably. Best Buy partners with EPRA and Call2Recycle to help you recycle your old batteries and electronics—even if they were purchased elsewhere. Tons of electronics have been kept out of landfills with this program. For example, in 2022, customers recycled 824,365 kg of electronics and 12,203 kg of batteries with us!
From cellphones to microwaves and audio systems, we accept a wide variety of products. Just make sure to remove any personal information from your electronic devices before you recycle them. See the full list of products you can recycle with Best Buy.
Take the next step towards a greener future
There are many ways you can live a more sustainable lifestyle. Implement some of the recommendations in this article one step at a time, and you’ll see how tech can help you save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. To extend the life of your products by repairing them and recycle old batteries and electronics, Best Buy is also there to accompany you in your sustainable journey through our many initiatives to reduce carbon emission and waste.
