Millennials have certainly been characterised by a number of key traits; they’re smart, ambitious and hardworking and they are strongly eco-conscious. Born into a world fraught with economic challenges, they are known for their strong entrepreneurial spirit and innate desire to be successful. More importantly, they are the most eco-conscious generation to date. More than 80 percent of millennials believe that eco-friendliness is a way to improve their quality of life and that of those around them. Despite growing up in a world that is constantly changing, with constant technological advancements, they have chosen to focus on not only being successful but to do so in a way that paves the way to a greener future. More than any prior generation they strive to balance technological advancement with eco-consciousness and they make daily life choices based on this.
MILLENNIALS: THE GREEN GENERATION
Having grown up in a world of global warming, depleted natural resources and an increase in landfills and dumps, millennials have taken it upon themselves to act as eco-warriors. Whilst many millennials have limited financial means, they are still willing to pay a premium for sustainable products and they choose to make lifestyle adjustments to ensure that they are able to contribute valuably to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. Their unwavering belief in adopting eco-friendly practices and their ability to enrich their lives means that they are highly motivated to make sustainable living choices.
This eco-consciousness is just one leading trait of millennials. In addition to this, they use technology to enhance their lives – and it is an essential part of their everyday living. This has seen millennials opt for devices and appliances to enable them to make their lives highly functional and less complicated. This combination of tech-savvy and eco-friendliness has seen millennials take the concept of green living to the next level. Millennials are at the centre of both the development and use of green technologies to support their desire to live a greener life, to build global eco-awareness and to safeguard their future and that of their children.
GREEN MEET SMART
Smart, sustainable living is the home-life nirvana for millennials. They are opting for greener technologies, renewable energy, carbon-offsetting and smart-homes to support their desire to minimise their impact on the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. Core to this are energy efficiency, resource conservation, zero-waste and recycling. It’s no surprise then that the use of technologies that reduce their ecological footprint and improve their quality of life is on the rise. Moving forward, their buying and living decisions will be characterised by key technological choices and this has led to significant advancements in green technologies. Below is an overview of some of the tech advancements we can expect to see in the not-too-distant future.
CERTIFIED APPLIANCES: Energy Star certification is a key feature that millennials consider when assessing appliances for purchase. They will prioritise smart, energy-efficient equipment over the traditional cheap but inefficient technologies of prior generations. Millennials will opt for everyday home-appliances that enhance their desire to be eco-conscious. This includes fridges, stoves, washers, dryers and everything in between.
SMART HOME SYSTEMS
Core to living a greener more eco-conscious life is the use of smart home systems. This includes smart thermostats which keep home temperatures at stable levels and reduce energy consumption (and wastage). Millennials are also choosing to implement smart home systems which monitor their energy consumption and carbon footprint – enabling them to make lifestyle choices that reduce both.
ELECTRICITY-GENERATING FABRICS
Whilst not yet on the market, electricity generating fabrics are in the process of being developed. These fabrics will capture kinetic energy generated by movement and the human body and enable millennials to use this energy to charge their smart-phones and smart-watches as well as other everyday tech like Bluetooth headphones.
GREEN AND LIVING BUILDINGS
Despite their fast-paced lives, ambition and responsibilities – millennials take a considered approach to their living environments. They seek places of tranquillity, simplicity and eco-friendliness with a preference for homes and apartments that enable them to create a soothing sanctuary for themselves. As a result, the development of green, healthy buildings is on the rise with many boasting living-walls, roof-top and community gardens as well as other green living initiatives using sustainable materials.
SOLAR ROOF TILES AND SOLAR PAINT
Whilst solar panels have been around for a long time. The technological developments of solar tiles and solar paint is well and truly under way – many of which are being developed by millennials themselves. In the future millennials will be able to install solar roof tiles or paint their roofs with solar paint – enabling them to harness the energy of the sun in a simple, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable way.
ELECTRICITY AND BATTERY POWERED VEHICLES
Electric vehicles come at a significant financial cost and we live in a world not yet equipped to make them a genuine option for most millennials. As technology develops and these cars become more cost-effective millennials will choose them over their fossil fuel powered counterparts. Additionally, there have been significant developments in the manufacturing of battery powered vehicles. Whilst not yet commercially available, we can likely expect to see these become a feature of millennial buying decisions in future.
With the increase in eco-consciousness on the rise as millennials make most of the workforce and hold significant buying power, we will continue to see the introduction and development of greener technologies, sustainable packaging and reduced waste initiatives. In addition to this, we will likely see a different level of eco-consciousness in future generations because they will have grown up under the direction and guidance of millennials
