Bertazzoni gets the highest score across 138 luxury home brands
05/08/2019
With Blomberg compact appliances, small is beautiful
01/10/2019It’s not that easy being Green. But eco-responsible appliances can sure help.
Blomberg’s engineers and designers understand that we need all the help we can get. Their eco-conscientious innovations are making it easier for households to reduce waste and carbon footprints.
It takes some forethought and attention, for sure, but reducing wasted energy and resources is worth the effort — not only for the principle but also because this is a positive and, frankly, cost-efficient way to run and organize a household.
Birds of a feather flock together!
We take pleasure in finding ways to be more efficient and eco-responsible, so we’re always on the lookout for companies that share these interests and values, particularly if they’re finding ways to help us to lower our carbon footprint. After all, there’s only so much we can do individually as consumers. When it comes to household appliances, for example, we’re looking for manufacturers that back up environmentally friendly vision statements and intentions with technical ingenuity that makes a concrete difference.
From what we’ve seen, it’s the companies that have been “nerding out” (not to get too technical on you!) on engineering and manufacturing components that deliver environmentally responsible products.
A recognized star in energy
The appliance manufacturer Blomberg is a good example of this. Known for the high-end quality of their appliances, they’re also recognized for their eco-responsible designs and manufacturing standards, which, it’s worth noting, earned them the title of “Earth Friendly” Energy Star Partner of the Year in 2021.
However, we feel that what will interest eco-conscious householders the most is the difference that Blomberg designs make in how efficiently households run on a day-to-day basis.
Even before recycling, getting maximum use out of what we own is the first priority!
Buying new products less often is one way we do our bit to reduce waste and landfill, but to do that, we need quality products that aren’t destined for an untimely death — and appliances that help us get the most out of all the consumer goods we bring home.
Blomberg dishwashers and refrigerators take care of the first half of that equation with brushless DC motors that are designed to provide a longer operating life. Longevity is just the beginning. Blomberg appliances are also designed to help households get more use out of the stuff we put in them!
Just how much use do you get out of the goods you buy most often?
Clothing is a consumer product that many Canadians go through at a tremendous rate. How much wear do we get — or could we get — out of our clothes? Some of that is up to personal choice. But it’s also a question of wear and tear from washing and drying.
Blomberg dryers use a closed-loop heat exchange system to produce a circulating air temperature that is consistently 40% lower than conventional dryers. This translates into much more gentle care and, as a result, longer life for your garments – even your delicate woollens.
Sounds good, right? But do you know which area of the average household produces a shocking amount of waste? It’s our kitchens! While we’ve all removed depressingly wilted greens from our fridges at some point, you might be surprised to learn how big an issue food waste is. It seems ironic, somehow, but the people who have the healthiest diets wind up wasting the most. See the study.
Are we doing a better job than other countries?
If you’re crossing your fingers thinking that we’re doing better over here in Canada, we hate to break it to you – but that just isn’t true. According to CRC research, Canadians generate approximately 31 million tonnes of garbage a year (and recycle only about 30% of that material). Thus, each Canadian generates approximately 2.7 kg of garbage every day. Not only is all that food waste a financial loss but our landfills account for 20% of national methane emissions. These landfills produce a shocking 27 megatonnes (MT) of carbon dioxide, of which 20 MT are being emitted annually. See the study. And if that’s not food for thought, we really don’t know what is!
We’re happy to note that Blomberg makes their refrigerators with absolutely no ozone-reducing gases. What caught our attention is their use of two technologies that keep fruit and vegetables fresher longer.
It may sound like science fiction, but this is for real: Blomberg’s Blue Light Technology preserves the flavour, colour, texture and nutrients of fresh produce by emitting light rays that let fruit and veggies continue to photosynthesize even while they sit in your vegetable crisper. Neat! Blomberg refrigerators also have a feature that releases negative ions that neutralize airborne bacteria, microbes and ethylene gas to reduce food spoilage. (Truly, aside from any environmental concerns, continuous clean fresh air in your refrigerator would be a pleasure!)
More waste-reducing intelligent technology
We’ve covered the ways Blomberg appliances can help you get the most out of some of the consumer products you bring into your household. What about your household’s use of resources?
To start, the same brushless DC electric motor we mentioned above boosts the water and energy efficiency of Blomberg dishwashers and refrigerators. Their dishwashers also have multiple insulation layers to prevent heat from escaping, while a variable-speed circulation motor adjusts to optimize water and energy consumption while they run.
Efficiency is engineered into their dryers, too. In fact, Blomberg’s best-in-class Heat Pump Dryer uses 50% less energy than conventional dryers, earning it a 2021 ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient designation.
As for their clothes washers (which are all ENERGY STAR® certified), each one is equipped with an automatic water adjustment system that uses only the amount of water needed for the volume of laundry you put in it. So, regardless of how small or large a load you need to wash, you won’t use one drop more water than necessary.
Eco-responsible factories and use of materials
It’s true that being green isn’t always easy. It does take some thought and effort. With appliances, that effort should extend throughout the lifetime of a product. Blomberg doesn’t come up short in that respect, either.
Their appliances are manufactured in ISO 14001 certified factories. This internationally recognized certification provides reliable objective proof that they use materials, energy and natural resources responsibly.
Blomberg also makes conscientious use of recycled materials in their appliances, which, in turn, are designed to be highly recyclable and RoHS compliant:
- 95% of the majority of their appliances are made with recyclable components.
- 85% of their components, including the packaging their products are delivered in, are recyclable.
The RoHS directive restricts the use of lead and other potentially hazardous substances, including cadmium, mercury, chromium VI, PBBs and PBDEs contained in electrical and electronic products. RoHS limits these substances to 0.1% or 1,000 ppm (except for cadmium, which is limited to 0.01% or 100 ppm) by weight of homogenous material. To complete the cycle of life and rebirth – so to speak – Blomberg takes part in ENERGY STAR ® and utility company programs that make it easier for households to recycle their appliances.
Being green isn’t about heartfelt statements and emojis. It’s a question of making practical changes in real life.
We are heartened when companies like Blomberg find ways to make it easier for us to do our bit. Their innovations suggest that more and more consumers and households are going to find it easier and easier to reduce waste as technology and appliances evolve.
Not to say that we’re not already making good progress!
For now, whenever our individual efforts seem to be a mere drop in the bucket, just remember that even oceans are made up of many, many drops of water.
