Electronic gadgets are already a major feature of many consumers’ lives. They are often bought by people in order to make their lives easier or to provide them with entertainment. Also, they can make great home gifts.However, it has been claimed that further use of such provisions could help to improve cities, both in terms of the quality of life for inhabitants and in terms of a reduction in carbon emissions.
According to an article in the Guardian, so-called ‘smart cities’ may be the answer. It suggested that by 2030, London could be full of smart houses that have the ability to regulate their temperatures and save energy. Meanwhile, smart buses could share information concerning traffic jams and other such things.
For example, Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric has revealed it is investing the equivalent of £52 million in experiments designed to establish advanced smart grid technologies, which may be one way of integrating renewable sources into the power system more reliably. In addition, it has established a Smart Community Project Group, which is designed to support and strengthen its involvement in smart community projects.
Kunio Oguchi from the Corporate Marketing Group commented: “Mitsubishi Electric aims to study the creation of smart communities and propose means to use electricity more efficiently through a best-mix of energy for the community as a whole. Our efforts in building smart communities are based on the fundamental principle of establishing ‘green communities through electrification’ that pursue a low-carbon environment and comfortable living in equal measure.”
Already, there are many electronic gadgets in use among consumers and in homes that are intended to benefit the environment and reduce wastage and the trend towards buying such offerings shows no sign of abating. Indeed, items of this nature can make excellent home gifts and many are easy to order online.