Reprogramming
old habits
4 minute read
Contrary to popular belief, sustainable living isn’t about giving up all the things you love for a minimal lifestyle. It is about being environmentally conscious to offset the emissions from your carbon footprint, and pursue a greener lifestyle by taking the small steps needed to help protect the planet. At Hyundai, we call these Save&Save hacks – and to put them to the test, we challenged four people from across the globe to try them out for three days. And our journey continues with Barnett.
The IT pro that hacked
his life.
Barnett Andersson, 46
Stepping out of the box
From 9-5, Barnett is an IT professional. He has the mind of the problem-solver that is why he’s always looking for tips and tricks to shrink his carbon footprint. To not only grow his savings but also to save the environment. But he’s no stranger to a few glitches along the way. Nobody’s perfect, but with Hyundai’s Save&Save hacks he’s excited to take on the challenge of upgrading his life.
Day One:
Charged up and
ready to go
The first day of Barnett’s challenge seemed like any other until a wave of errors swept across the office. Having to dash from desk to desk, checking data on his phone meant his battery was drained in a flash.
Enter Save&Save hack #1: charging in airplane mode. It’s a simple one that most of us miss. With less time plugged into the wall, it's not only an easy way to power up while draining less energy, but it's also a smart way to prevent unnecessary consumption of electricity! Within minutes, his phone was juiced up and the glitches were shut down. Even a seasoned pro has room for a few upgrades.
Day Two:
Working hard
for a reward
The field of IT can often feel stressful and repetitive, so getting away for a while is essential. We challenged Barnett to get away for the day and refresh without leaving a carbon footprint. “Hiking has always been a long-time passion of mine”, he reveals, “but today I feel like new hunting grounds and I want to go further afield. I’m going out on my mountain bike!”. Jumping into the saddle Barnett set off up a trail that took him on a 50km loop around the hills that mask the local horizon.
The hard work soon sets in and before long the first beads of sweat appear on Barnett’s forehead. Working hard to gain elevation along the trail, today’s session may take 4 hours but the benefits of lowering stress and burning excess energy are going to pay dividends. Reaching home in time for a late lunch Barnett reveals “Wow, what a workout! Getting outdoors and working for it feels so great and I guess nothing beats lowering that carbon footprint!”.
What is a carbon footprint and why is it important?
A carbon footprint is the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, ozone, water vapor, and many others. When these naturally produced gases are released into the atmosphere, it creates a greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm.
But within the past decade, there has been an uptick in the emissions of carbon dioxide produced by humans from deforestation, burning fossil fuels to drive our cars, and other kinds of energy that we use in our everyday lives. This large increase of gas directly impacts the Earth by inducing climate change, which is why, as its citizens, we must do our part to minimize or better yet, avoid using unnecessary energy to preserve its natural beauty.
Day Three:
A spark of
inspiration
Living at home with his young family, Barnett has amassed a surplus of items, all in storage around his house. So we challenged Barnett to unearth some of the items that he kept in the attic and find a new use for them. “When I was younger I used to play football and kept a shirt from every team I played for” he explained. “Some of them have been up there in boxes for 10 years!”. Taking out the stepladder Barnett trudged up the steps to the attic.
Burrowing deep within the boxes he re-emerged with a handful of shirts, “These would look great in the games room. I think I can cover one of the armchairs in there”. Recruiting some extra pairs of hands, the whole family came to help and started cutting and sewing the shirts together. Before you knew it the old armchair was transformed into memories of his former glory years. “Reusing these old shirts was a great idea, it gives the room more character and there are some great memories now too.”
With a bit of thought lowering my carbon footprint was pretty simple. BARNETT ANDERSSON
Hyundai &
Sustainable
Living
Sustainable innovation is at the very core of what Hyundai Motor Company believes in. That’s why we’re working hard to make reducing your carbon footprint easier in every way possible.
A stand-out example? How about roof-mounted solar panels that charge your car for as long as the sun is shining. Now that’s a bright idea.