2024-01-22 19:28:00
The most important screen in the home is still the television. They become flatter and more economical. But there is more to a green TV.
The Dutch television viewer generally leaves it open. Just walk down any street in the evening or peek at the neighbors: the widescreen invariably shows off its colors as the dominant center of the living room. In a sea of light. Often with lots of greenery because there is a football match.
But how green are those Samsungs, LGs, Loewes, Philips and Sonys actually themselves? In any case, the screens are becoming increasingly energy efficient, says the Milieu Centraal knowledge center. Although it does of course depend on how long you watch TV and how big the screen is. Anyone who watches television four hours a day, Milieu Centraal calculated, consumes between 40 and 180 kWh of electricity. It doesn’t stop there, because most households also have a digital decoder attached to the device, which is necessary to receive all those channels. Such a box also uses a maximum of 110 kWh.
In sleep mode
Although it is often said that LED screens cannot be much more efficient than they are now, manufacturers are still working hard on new energy-saving techniques. For example, TP Vision, manufacturer of Philips TVs, has included a sensor in its more expensive sets that can see whether someone is actually watching television. If this is not the case, the device will go into sleep mode to save power.
There is also something to be gained by taking both the TV set and the decoder off standby during the hours when people are not watching. And if you still think it is important to watch ‘green’ television, Milieu Centraal advises, do not exchange a slightly dated device for the latest model every now and then. It NOS News is just as easy to follow on a screen with a 4k resolution as on a device with an 8k screen. And an ultra-flat device is of course aesthetically pleasing. But is it necessary? The same story applies to the size that will hang on the wall. According to Milieu Centraal, a 65-inch television (165 cm diagonal) uses twice as much power as a 43-inch model (109 cm diagonal) with the same energy label.
Speaking of the energy label: it is the green helper for the store. Previously, consumers did not really know what to do with those labels. That is why the energy label was renewed on March 1, 2021, says André Habets, director of the consumer electronics trade association Fiar.
A big improvement
The new label runs from A (most economical) to G. Before March 1, 2021, the label ran from A+++ to D. “Because the plus signs were unclear to many people, the plus signs have been replaced in the new label. A television with the new label F is more economical than the same model with the label A++ according to the old system. The most economical TVs that are currently for sale have the label D or E. So a significant improvement.”
Yet the industry’s sales figures do not reflect the fact that people are purchasing greener televisions en masse. Habets: “The majority of the range and televisions sold in the Dutch market have been the current G labels since 2021.” According to market researcher GfK, ‘energy consumption’ takes only seventh place when buying a new television: 12 percent of television-watching Dutch people mention this as an important purchasing argument. Things like image quality, sound and the installed apps are considered significantly more important.
Retail chain Mediamarkt says that it is noticing an increasing demand from consumers who are more consciously looking for television: “We certainly see that customers are increasingly looking for more sustainable products. Mediamarkt also encourages this, including with its BetterWay label, which is clearly visible in our stores,” says a spokesperson for the electronics group. And if you really want to do something for the environment, adds Fiar director Habets, “then hand in the product at a recycling center so that it can be processed responsibly by professionals.”
Replace colored packaging
Yet there is much more to the question than the device itself when it comes to the question of what traces the phenomenon of television leaves on the earth. Making the devices requires (sometimes rare) raw materials. A lot of energy is also used to extract and process it. Because most factories that make the devices are far from our couch, transport is also an important polluting factor.
The greening of television viewing must, it seems, mainly come from the producers. According to trade association Fiar, manufacturers report annually on sustainability and the progress they are making in this regard. Habets: “This is reflected, for example, in the load factor of containers, in which no pallets are used: that provides space for more TVs.” Colored packaging has also been replaced by TV boxes made of cardboard with black printing, in order to save ink, Mediamarkt also reports.
Finally, there are alternatives to a wide screen on the wall: many viewers sit behind a laptop or look on their phone. And if you want to see the grass on a football field greener than green, you can go to the stadium.
Also read:
Yes, television can be even more sustainable. But it won’t be much more economical for a while
Televisions have become increasingly economical. While they can do more. Can the TV be even more sustainable? Yes, says Stefan van Sabben, senior sustainability manager at TP Vision, manufacturer of Philips TVs.
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