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Thanks to scientists, inventors, engineers, designers, businesses … take a look around your home and stand in awe at the machines that have revolutionised life in the home! From washing machines to dishwashers, kettles to microwave ovens, tumble dryers to hair dryers – how would life be different without them? These domestic machines also happen to be some of the biggest ‘energy guzzlers’ in our homes. Your challenge this week is to help your parent/carer avoid one of these ‘guzzlers’ – with a focus on the ‘dryers’!
Can you avoid your tumble dryer? Nearly three-quarters of the carbon emissions related to a load of laundry come from drying rather than washing … so give the tumble dryer a rest! Strange but true: your clothes will dry even in freezing temperatures, as long as the air is dry – you might like this quick video of an ice scientist drying her clothes! When it's dry, see how long it takes to dry your clothes outside. If it’s raining, can you hang them on a rack inside? Maybe design a poster for your tumble dryer door ‘Keep out – no clothes allowed – help us tackle climate change’!
Or maybe you could choose to avoid your hair dryer? Rub your hair dry with a towel – it takes a bit longer and requires the use of your arm muscles! Or you could choose to wash your hair earlier in the day – giving it time to dry naturally before going to bed?
What machine would YOU like to invent – what ideas do you have? Inventions are happening all around us, all the time. We, humans, are excellent problem solvers! Solving the problems of Climate Change isn’t just being left to governments, policy makers, and negotiators at COP27, many scientists, inventors, engineers, designers and businesses are also on the case! The Earthshot Prize 2022 finalists include lots of amazing inventions - Notpla based in the UK, is creating plastic alternatives made from seaweed and plants; Kheyti in India has designed a ‘greenhouse-in-a-box’ for small-hold farmers to shelter their crops from some of the impacts of climate change; Mukuru Clean Stoves use biomass made from charcoal, wood and sugarcane, reducing carbon emissions and air pollution; Ampd in Hong Kong is helping turn construction sites green with a battery energy storage system that can relieve the use of fossil fuel powered engines.
Maybe when you grow up you’ll work on other solutions to help repair our planet – a world of opportunity! Remember to HIT THE RED BUTTON when you’ve helped to combat climate change by hanging out your washing, or hand-drying your hair – giving your ‘dryers’ a rest!
