Investing with a Low Carbon Footprint – Is It Possible?

Having a limited impact on the environment is a growing trend in the investing world. Climate change is forcing all industries to lower their carbon footprint and the same applies to invest/trading. Some believe that it takes a lot of effort to do that, but in fact, a series of small steps can lead to increased efficiency with less energy consumption. 

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#1 Using modern equipment

One of the most basic things traders can do is to use some of the latest equipment (PCs or laptops), because only that way they’ll manage to improve energy efficiency.  It does require an investment, but over the span of a few years, the money will be saved both from lower energy consumption as well as due to increased productivity. Looking at it from a short-term perspective, it might seem like a useless investment, but only a long-term view can foster the reduction of the carbon footprint. 

#2 Trading Apps

Technology plays a leading role in the trading world and many new developments facilitate how traders can engage with the markets. Trading apps for mobile devices are extremely popular among retail traders, with more than two-thirds using them frequently. Monitoring market positions does not necessarily require having an extensive trading desk working. Once an order is placed, traders only have to monitor the price and make decisions based on how it develops. 

A small mobile device can do the work and thus reduce the usage of larger pieces of equipment. Some may argue that smaller screens reduce the ability to spot subtle details in the price action. In some cases, that may be true, but given their flexibility in the user interface, trading apps can serve as a good replacement, for a short period.  

#3 Increasing productivity and efficiency 

Increasing productivity is one of the main forces behind economic prosperity and at the same, the higher output can result in a lower carbon footprint. The same principle applies for trading since traders are able to enhance their skills and thus won’t be able to work the same amount of time to get better results. A commitment to improvement indirectly helps the environment, although it may not be visible in the first place. 

#4 Solar panels

Most traders operate during the day when the sun is shining, no matter their physical location. Except for those living in areas where winter covers half of the year, installing solar panels had become an affordable solution to not waste energy from other sources. Governments all around the world had already developed financing programs, offering assistance for all people wanting to value the energy offered by the sun. Even though ensuring energy independence with solar panels may be expensive, reducing consumption throughout the daylight period is not as expensive as may seem. The bottom line is that small improvement can lead to a major reduction in the carbon footprint in the longer run, and this should be a mindset people stick to from now on.