Environmental impact
22 July 2022

Environmental impact - How the environment is affected

Here at Slättö we are very serious about our climate and the future of the earth and are constantly working to minimize our environmental impact. We always strive to offer comfortable accommodation that has a positive impact on the local environment and provides our residents with the right conditions for environmentally friendly living.

Slättö and environmental impact

When we plan, design and build our residential buildings, the environmental impact is always in focus. From the first planning meeting to the final construction, we strive to minimize the impact of the residential building on the environment. You can see this for yourself in several of our newly built apartments across the country that have lots of details to reduce the environmental impact of the house.

From community greenhouses where residents can grow their own vegetables to energy-efficient architecture that reduces electricity consumption throughout the house. But there's always more we can do, and here we'd like to highlight a few topics we think everyone should know about and tips that can help you live a more environmentally friendly life.

Choose an environmentally friendly electricity supplier

When you sign an electricity contract for your apartment (or your summer cottage), you can vote with your wallet for environmentally friendly electricity production. By choosing to buy electricity that comes from environmentally friendly energy sources, you help make electricity companies think more about their own environmental impact. Electricity that comes from renewable sources is always better for the environment as its production does not take from the earth or negatively affect the atmosphere. Look for the 'Good Environmental Choice' label when choosing an electricity company.

Recycling and reuse

How you manage your household waste drastically affects your and your family's environmental impact. By separating your waste at source, you can help society recycle materials and substances that do not need to be extracted from the earth again. Everything from plastics, paper and cardboard to glass and batteries can be sorted at source, and every time you throw away your rubbish, you can do so with a clear conscience if you have sorted it correctly.

Reusing instead of throwing things away is also really good for the environment. Don't throw away old clothes that your children have outgrown, donate them to friends, family or charity instead. Did you get your food in a plastic box when you ordered food? Wash out the box and use it as a lunch box to take to work. Do you always buy washing-up liquid and detergent in plastic bottles? Start saving your plastic bottles instead and buy refillable packs so you don't use as much hard plastic.

Electricity consumption & environmental impact - Lower electricity bills are good for your wallet and the environment

Everyone probably has an appliance or light at home that is left on when no one is home. Or maybe you have a very old vacuum cleaner or appliance that uses more electricity than 30 newer models all by itself. Cutting your electricity bill not only puts more money in your bank account, it also lowers your environmental impact.

Buying a new tumble dryer or vacuum cleaner may seem like an expensive investment when you have an old model that still works reasonably well. But the fact is that very old appliances use extremely more electricity than newer models. This means that you can technically benefit from buying a nice new dryer or vacuum cleaner. Your new appliance will use less electricity each time it is used, lowering your electricity bill and making a good choice for the environment.

You can clearly see the energy label on all white goods sold in Sweden today, both online and in shops. Always buy products that are labeled A or higher (A+++). You can always talk to the staff at your local appliance retailer about which appliances use the least electricity and have the least environmental impact. Also, remember to properly dispose of your old white goods and household appliances so that their materials can be recycled.

Skip standby and use even less electricity

Studies have shown that up to 10% of the total electricity consumption of Swedish households is used by appliances that are in stand-by mode. Reduce electricity consumption massively by turning off the TV completely and unplugging the mobile charger from the wall.

Use less hot water

One thing that everyone can do to reduce their environmental impact is to cut down on hot water consumption. You can do this by turning off the shower water when you soap up or filling the sink with water when you do the dishes. Passive, and very efficient, ways to use less hot water are to switch to modern low-flow nozzles in your taps. If you have an eco-friendly dishwasher at home, it's good to know that a fully loaded dishwasher uses less energy than washing dishes by hand with hot water.

Buy products with low environmental impact

When you buy detergents, dishwashing liquid or other household products, you can actively choose products that are organic and environmentally friendly. For example, you can look for the same "Bra Miljöval" label as when you choose your electricity company. This is the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's own eco-label and shows you which products have the least environmental impact.

Slättö - Reducing the environmental impact of your apartment

We should all strive to live as environmentally friendly as possible. We humans affect the environment with every choice we make and it is up to each of us to make the best choices for the future of our planet. The products you use, the electrical items you buy and the way you manage your waste all affect the environmental impact of your household. By making a few small changes or just thinking a little more environmentally friendly when you shop, you can drastically reduce your and your family's environmental impact.

If you live in a Slättö apartment building, you have already made a positive environmental choice. Our residential buildings are built with the environment in mind and we are always trying to do more to make our buildings even more environmentally friendly. From larger bicycle garages to charging stations for electric cars in our parking lots, residents at Slättö have all the prerequisites for living as environmentally friendly a life as possible. And if you follow all the advice in this article, you and your household can have a positive environmental impact and contribute to a better future.