Sustainability
Consumers Get Real about Sustainability Issues that Matter Most
6/5/2024
The path to fighting climate change can feel like a daunting puzzle of jargon and tough choices. Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish between what’s meaningful and what’s noise.
At Samsung, we are committed to a more sustainable future. And, we know that no company – or person – can do it alone. The Samsung Real Talk Sustainability Survey, conducted by Morning Consult, delves into the real issues consumers care about when it comes to having a more eco-conscious lifestyle – from the energy they use, to the clothes they wear, food they eat and more.
According to the survey, nearly half (48%) of U.S. adults make small sustainable actions on an ongoing basis, while about 1 in 5 (18%) have made reducing their impact on the environment one of their goals for the year. That’s good news as we seek to reduce our collective footprints. The biggest hurdle, however, is money. The majority of people (53%) said they are constrained by inflation and needing to save, and 48% are held back by the cost of sustainable goods.
“We want to empower people and educate them on practical and cost-effective ways they can join us in making a positive impact on the environment,” said Mark Newton, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Samsung Electronics America. “At Samsung, designing with the planet in mind doesn’t mean sacrificing performance. It’s what’s driving our innovation. From energy efficient products that help cut down utility bills to smart technology that maximizes productivity, we’re helping to make eco-conscious lifestyles more convenient than ever.”
The Ultimate “Green Flag” – Reducing Waste
According to the survey, those who are working towards acting more sustainably are primarily recycling/upcycling (77%) and reducing food waste (66%). The UN has called unmanaged waste a hidden cause of climate change.
Taking care of your devices and disposing of them properly is one way to alleviate landfill waste. Samsung provides convenient, accessible and quality care across the United States, so people can keep their mobile devices, PCs, consumer electronics and home appliances up and running longer. And when you are done, Samsung makes it easy to trade-in old products for a credit toward a new purchase, or we’ll recycle the contents of your tech junk drawer for free at more than 1,700 drop-off locations across the country. Every device adds to the 1.3 billion pounds of e-waste the company has repurposed or recycled in the U.S. since 2009. Additionally, innovations like the industry-first SolarCell Remote, help reduce waste from discarded used batteries. It can be re-charged by sunlight or indoor lighting, saving up to 200 million batteries from landfill over the next seven years.1
When it comes to food waste, the right technology can serve up a healthy portion of inspiration. Approximately 7 in 10 U.S. adults feel guilty about food waste, driven by the lack of time or motivation to cook (29%) and the tendency to order delivery despite a fully stocked fridge (26%). Gen Z feel the heat in the kitchen the most with 39% feeling guilty when they don’t know what to cook.
This is where the new Samsung AI Family Hub™+ steps in. Advanced AI Vision Inside™ technology uses a built-in camera to identify a variety of fresh food items and automatically generates a list of what food users have in stock, right in the SmartThings app.2 There, you can get recommendations for recipes that use the ingredients you have on hand.3 In addition to meal planning, this feature also lets you know what to buy at the grocery store, helping reduce excess purchases – or the dreaded trip back for something you missed.
Taming Energy Hogs
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average American shells out $2,000 every year on energy bills. It’s no wonder that two-thirds of U.S. adults are actively looking to reduce their energy costs at home, according to the survey. And they believe introducing connected tech can help — over half (52%) of Millennials said they’d have less arguments with their housemates if they had access to a smart home that could automate energy and water usage, turn lights on/off, and track which devices are increasing utility bills.
SmartThings Energy in the SmartThings app helps you take control of your carbon footprint and cut your energy bills by letting you check your home energy use from anywhere. Use the service to manage the energy usage of any of your devices that work with SmartThings, create energy-saving routines, get impactful tips, and use AI Energy Mode to maximize your energy use based on your habits at home. Best of all, it gives peace of mind that energy-savings are in your hands.