Our homes and lives are beginnng to overflow with machines and gadgets that perform tasks electronically. Some of these gadgets are getting smaller, like MP3 palyers and cell phones, while others are getting larger and heavier like washers and dryers that stand taller than a 10-year old and vaccuums that weigh as much as a 10-year old!
Turning tasks over to machines has simplified our lives but it’s also increased raw materials and energy consumption. The average home has 25 separate electronic gadgets and machines that consume up to 820 pounds of raw materials and 5,800 kWh of electricity each year.
One thing you can do to reduce the footprint of your electronics is to bundle features into fewer untis. When a single device performs multiple functions formerly carried out by many, it is called a combination device or multifunction device (MFD). Consumer products that perform multiple functions use fewer resources to solve consumer needs, save space and usually save energy and money.
Whether it’s a mobile phone that’s also a camera, MP3 player and web browser; a vacuum that does double duty as an upright and shop vac; a single machine that both washes and dries your laundry; or a kitchen appliance that microwaves, convection bakes and toasts all in one, multi-functionality is the trend to follow if you need all the features that a combination unit provides. If you don’t, you’ll just spend extra money you don’t need to.
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