#StayHome sustainability

Most of the world's governments have appealed to their people to be responsible and collaborate in the fight against coronavirus by staying at home in an effort to mitigate its spread. Some countries have done this with legislative measures, others with recommendations that encourage civic duty. Either way, all around the world, people are confined to their homes.

This temporary situation has radically changed our routines. In the coming weeks, we must get used to a new way of living with our families and the activities we do at home. Does sustainability have a place? Clearly it does. In this presentation, we remind you of some simple tips for isolating yourselves at home against coronavirus while living sustainably.

Using household appliances such as fridges, washing machines and ovens correctly helps us reduce energy consumption at home while saving money. Let's look at some of these appliances:

- Mobile phone chargers: These are classic examples of devices that we leave plugged in longer than necessary, even when our phone is fully charged. Disconnecting the charger when our device has finished charging can save up to 7 kilos of CO^₂ per year.

- Computers: On average, computers account for 7.7% of household appliance energy use. To improve energy consumption, deactivate screen savers, reduce monitor brightness and only turn on connected devices such as speakers or printers when you plan to use them.

- Consoles: Even when not in use, consoles left in idle mode can consume up to 23.3 Watts per hour. If you are finished with your console, saving your game and turning it off is the best option.

- Ovens: Electric ovens are responsible for 8.3% of household appliance costs. To improve your energy consumption, follow these three tips: don't open the oven when it's on, as this causes it to lose 20% of its built-up energy; always keep the oven free of grease to make it more efficient; and remember to turn the oven off a few minutes before you've finished cooking to take advantage of residual heat.

For more tips, keep reading here.

With a few simple steps and some modifications, we can turn our traditional home into a sustainable environment. Taking a traditional apartment or flat as a reference, we advise you on steps you can take to do this. You may have to put some of these off until after the coronavirus crisis passes and life returns to normal, but most can be put into practice without leaving your home.

Spending so much time at home also means that we are generating more waste than usual. This guide is a reminder on how to recycle properly:

And speaking of garbage disposal, some people are using the toilet bowl as if it were just another bin. This can lead to water pollution or huge problems with blockages of city sewers. This infographic reminds you what not to throw down the toilet:

In order to #StayAtHome sustainably, we must go into water saving mode. The more time we spend at home, the more we use taps, showers and cisterns. Remember these rules to make sure you don't waste one of humanity's most important resources – so scarce in many parts of the world: