How to respond to natural disasters

L’increment d’esdeveniments climàtics extrems suposa un repte per als governs i la població. Quines són les conseqüències econòmiques del canvi climàtic? Com ens podem preparar per als desastres naturals que afecten el nostre territori? En parlem amb Gemma Vallet, directora d’11Onze District i Carolina Rafales, de l’equip de producte.

Es preveu que l’estiu d’aquest any sigui un dels més calorosos de la sèrie històrica, es tracta d’una previsió que sembla repetir-se any rere any. Una entrada d’estiu marcada per un temps inestable i tempestes. Cada vegada més sovint, els meteoròlegs avisen que ve una nova DANA (depressió aïllada a nivells alts), més coneguda com a gota freda, que pot provocar precipitacions intenses durant hores o dies.

Els efectes del canvi climàtic són cada cop més palpables i no ens queda més remei que adaptar-nos i prendre les mesures necessàries per pal·liar els efectes econòmics i socials que acompanyen aquests esdeveniments climàtics extrems. Com explica Carolina Rafales, “Aquests fenòmens meteorològics poden presentar tempestes violentes i pedregades, per això cal estar preparats”.

Com fer front a una DANA

Aquest fenomen meteorològic es caracteritza per les precipitacions torrencials, sovint violentes i acompanyades de forts vents, que poden produir inundacions. El fet que aquestes precipitacions es produeixin en poc temps i en zones molt localitzades fa que puguin causar d’anys a les infraestructures i edificis perquè es fa difícil canalitzar tanta quantitat d’aigua.

Si la regió on vivim pot ser afectada per una gota freda “és essencial estar informats del desenvolupament de la tempesta i evitar sortir de casa a peu o en cotxe”, apunta Rafales. 

Així mateix, ens recorda que “cal assegurar-se que les canonades i desaigües de casa nostra estan lliures d’obstruccions”.

De la mateixa manera, no estaria de més preparar-nos per si marxés la llum, un dels efectes negatius que sovint acompanyen aquestes tempestes. Rafales ens aconsella tenir sempre els mòbils ben carregats, o bateries externes auxiliars. En casos d’inundacions extremes haurem d’abandonar l’àrea afectada i buscar refugi en una zona alta, per la qual cosa és aconsellable tenir reparat un kit d’emergències que inclogui roba de recanvi, llanternes, una ràdio, una farmaciola i provisions.

Si vols conèixer una assegurança justa per a la teva llar i per a la societat, descobreix 11Onze Segurs.

Podem canviar el món? Quina és la nostra capacitat real d’impacte sobre l’entorn que ens envolta? Lara de Castro, HR Business Partner d’11Onze, explica què és el consum conscient i com podem contribuir a la sostenibilitat del planeta amb les nostres decisions de compra quotidianes.

Sovint subestimem l’impacte que els nostres actes individuals tenen sobre l’entorn que ens envolta. Però totes les accions, per petites que siguin, contribueixen a modelar el món. Lara de Castro ho deixa clar al següent vídeo amb un exemple molt evident.

Com ella mateixa adverteix, hi ha moltes persones que pensen que un acte individual sovint “és massa feble” per a tenir un impacte significatiu en l’entorn, “però no és així”. Cada acció compta i té conseqüències que es poden acumular a les de la resta de la comunitat. La realitat és que “les nostres decisions més quotidianes són rellevants, per petites que siguin”. En aquest sentit, és molt evident el paper que juguen totes les decisions de compra si som consumidors conscients.

Què és el consum conscient?

Els consumidors conscients són persones que escullen els productes i els serveis amb criteris que van “més enllà de la relació qualitat-preu”, ja que inclouen l’impacte ambiental i social com un element decisori en els seus hàbits de compra. Una conseqüència és l’aposta pel comerç de proximitat, que “és una manera de donar suport als productors locals i evitar l’impacte econòmic i ambiental del transport”, com explica Lara de Castro.

Un altre exemple de consum conscient el trobem en l’aigua. Si volem reduir la contaminació al planeta, podem substituir el consum d’aigua embotellada, “amb totes les conseqüències que sabem que té el plàstic”, per aigua de l’aixeta tractada amb filtres sostenibles.

Com indica Lara de Castro al final del vídeo, si tots som més conscients “en els petits detalls de la vida quotidiana” la realitat és que “sí que podem canviar el món”. La decisió és nostra.

Si vols descobrir com beure la millor aigua, estalviar diners i ajudar al planeta, entra a Imprescindibles 11Onze.

We are not sufficiently aware of the power we have as consumers to influence the economy. But we have to start believing it: citizens can change the market and make local and sustainable trade even more important.

The pandemic has made us rediscover the importance of community and proximity. Restrictions on mobility have made us realise that relying on products from the other side of the world makes no sense. In fact, we are still suffering from delays in the supply and trade of products because of the global confinement we have experienced and the geopolitical turmoil that never stops. 

When we talk about local products, we often only think of food products, but we must also think of services: telephony, health care, energy, finance… All these services are usually offered by large corporations that have their headquarters outside Catalonia and, therefore, do not invest their profits in the citizens of Catalonia. 

On the other hand, if we contract the services of companies, businesses or cooperatives in Catalonia, the profits obtained are invested in our community, and also contribute to providing work for thousands and thousands of people.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

At a time when the planet is calling for responsibility and common sense, consumption has also entered a new phase. Buying new products is no longer the only option. More and more people are choosing to extend the useful life of everything that already exists, and this has given rise to a trend that is not only here to stay, but is changing the culture of consumption: recommerce.

The concept is simple but powerful: selling and buying second-hand products through digital platforms. The goal? To reduce waste, reuse what is still useful, and avoid the overproduction that fuels the traditional consumption model. It is the practical version of the three famous Rs of the circular economy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

This change in habits, which until a few years ago was considered minority or alternative, has spread strongly among consumers who want to save money and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment. To this end, a digital ecosystem of platforms has emerged that facilitate the sale and purchase of second-hand items in a fast, secure and affordable way. Here are some highlights:

• One of the major drivers of this revolution is Back Market, a platform specialising in refurbished technology. Smartphones, laptops, cameras, small appliances… everything passes through the hands of professionals who ensure it is in good working order before putting it up for sale. In addition, the platform itself acts as a guarantee, offering a rigorous and responsive after-sales service. It is a smart way to buy the latest technology at much more affordable prices without generating more electronic waste.
• For those who want to sell what they no longer use — or find bargains on all kinds of products — Wallapop remains one of the most popular options. This app has positioned itself as a kind of digital second-hand market, where proximity and direct contact between buyers and sellers facilitates logistics. From furniture to sports equipment, video games and children’s clothing, it is a window onto responsible and practical consumption.
• Another platform to consider is Letgo, which stands out for incorporating artificial intelligence technology. This functionality allows objects to be recognised from an image, automatically categorised and quickly published. The result is a very smooth and efficient user experience, especially useful for those who want to sell without complications.
• In the field of mobility, Coches.net has become a benchmark. This app not only allows you to buy and sell second-hand cars, but also new vehicles, motorhomes, and vans. The added value is the guarantee offered by many of the professional sellers on the platform, which generates trust and reduces risks in such a sensitive transaction as the purchase of a vehicle.
• Clothing, one of the major sources of mass consumption and pollution, also has its own specific platforms. Vinted is a fashion buying and selling community that works like a social network: people sell their clothes with photos or videos, and can follow each other. It is a fresh and fun way to give a second life to clothes we no longer use, while also renewing our wardrobe without falling into the spiral of consumption driven by fast fashion.
• We cannot forget Milanuncios, a classic classified ad site that has successfully adapted to the digital world. With a wide variety of offerings that go beyond objects—jobs, housing, services—it remains a very useful platform for all kinds of transactions, especially in more rural areas or for people looking for more traditional options.
• And when it comes to specific niches, an app like Bkie shows just how far personalisation can go within recommerce. Dedicated exclusively to the sale of bicycles and cycling equipment, it has created its own loyal and active community. With cycling on the rise, this app has managed to capture the needs of a demanding group of users who are looking for quality, good prices and trust between users.

This new way of consuming not only has environmental and economic benefits. It also changes the relationship we have with objects, makes us more aware of their value and educates us in a more mature culture of consumption, based less on novelty and more on responsible use.

Buying second-hand today is no longer synonymous with necessity, but with awareness. And recommerce is a powerful tool for making that change a reality. Through these apps, we can shop better, sell what we don’t use and actively contribute to a more sustainable, humane and efficient economy. So next time you think about buying something new, ask yourself first: do I really require it new? The answer may surprise you… and the planet will thank you for it.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

We are all aware of the need to reduce plastic consumption to mitigate its impact on the planet. It is therefore important that we are proactive in making small changes to our habits to eliminate or make better use of plastics.

The enormous environmental problems caused by single-use plastics are well documented. Every year we dump millions of tonnes of plastic waste into the seas and oceans, literally forming vast islands of non-biodegradable rubbish that accumulate thanks to ocean currents.

Governments, corporations, and major supermarket brands are implementing changes to reduce their consumption and mitigate the environmental impact of the plastic waste generated. Still, we can harness the power we have as consumers to spur a paradigm shift that can wait no longer.

So, here are five habits that we can include in our daily routine to easily reduce the amount of plastic we use.

Use cloth bags

Despite the fact that the ban on the giveaway of plastic bags came into force in Catalonia in March 2017 and that from 1 January 2021 there will be a ban on the giveaway of lightweight plastic bags offered to consumers, we still use bags that, although compostable, contain a large amount of plastic. Carrying cloth bags, a basket, or a shopping trolley saves us unnecessary plastic consumption.

Buy food wholesale

Buying in bulk eliminates unnecessary packaging and promotes responsible consumption because it allows us to take from the shop only what we will consume. Our bags and packaging, preferably glass, can be reused many times.

Use environmentally friendly detergents

Some of the most common ingredients in conventional detergents can be highly harmful to the environment. Fortunately, there are cleaning products made with ecological criteria, such as Natulim’s biodegradable detergent strips, which do not generate environmental waste and avoid the use of plastic in their packaging.

Eliminate single-use products

Disposable products such as plastic cutlery, plates, cups, straws, and razors may be practical, but they create large amounts of waste that could easily be avoided by replacing them with products made of glass, metal, or other materials.

Avoid or recycle coffee capsules

It goes without saying that buying ground coffee and making coffee with a traditional coffee machine is much more environmentally friendly than using coffee capsules. That said, not everyone has the time or patience to make coffee in the traditional way once they are used to single-serve pods. Fortunately, some capsule manufacturers offer recycling schemes to take advantage of this waste and give it a second life.

If you want to wash your clothes without polluting the planet, 11Onze Recommends Natulim.

Tourism is one of the businesses that shows one of the highest capital flow worldwide. As per the report from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in 2019, 1.4 billion of international tourists were recorded and up to between 100 and 120 million of jobs are linked to it.

It is, therefore, a sector with an undeniable weight in the world’s economy, and more particularly, with a direct affectation to practically all the inhabitants in the planet either in an active form as travellers or in a passive one as locals.

The touristic sector asks for regulation and responsibility

Given its importance, since years ago there are more and more organisations, Companies and collective bodies that ask for a sustainable tourism system that can be kept over time and nourish the population. Everything points to the fact that this industry will continue growing during the next years and, therefore, if the current model does not change, the negative impact that it generates will increase at the same rate. We are all currently familiarised with sustainability as a concept and we even have adopted certain daily routines that contribute to respect the environment. An attitude that changes more or less when we travel: we leave lights switched on, recycling, take care of public spaces, using more ecological transport ways, spend the necessary water, using less plastic … actions that we may miss when we are on holidays and which, by themselves, do not generate an impact, although they may mean a higher issue when they are multiplied by 1.4 billion people.

Within this context, and with the urgency to change the touristic model into a more responsible perspective, it pops-up the sustainable tourism concept, understood as the one which “satisfies current needs without compromising the capacity of future generations to satisfy their own needs”, as it is described in the Brundtland report. It will be about then, to minimise the negative impact that tourism is currently generating and to maximise its benefits, mainly from the three big pillars: environmental, sociocultural and economical.

To reduce the environmental impact to preserve future 

Tourism very much depends on the environmental quality to survive and evolve but, paradoxically, this is one of the main activities that it harms. Infrastructures construction like airports and roads, highly polluted transport ways by land, sea and air, creation of equipment and touristic resorts like restaurants, shopping centres, golf fields or sportive areas are examples of the negative impact that it brings to any region. All of this brings also risk to the flora and fauna in the area, which in the past years has worsened the situation of hundreds of species, especially the marine ones, which have not been able to overcome the changes that human pollution has caused in their natural habitat.  

In parallel, it has been thanks to tourism that some natural areas have become protected areas or they are areas with especial care being taken orientated to preserve the space looking forward to the future. This is the positive impact where sustainable tourism should be betting: to achieve the maintenance of care of spaces both natural and urban, by governments’ organisms to favour both, local citizens and future visitors.

Controlling the sociocultural impact and to bet for the diversity wealth

The willingness to often travel comes motivated by the restlessness to know other Countries, together with everything that this implies: culture, language, food and costumes. Diversity within the globalism is foreseen, and this arouses respect, tolerance and knowledge by both parts, but especially from the visitor’s point of view. For sustainable tourism it is essentially this cultural preservation but, amongst everything the respect for it. Guaranteeing a value experience therefore, must mean to guarantee sociocultural wealth.

A non-planned tourism, other than being a nuisance to local inhabitants, can bring miserable consequences on their lives and their quality of life, an issue that some areas of Catalonia have already suffered first-hand in terms of gentrification, this is a disproportionate increase of dwellings’ and plots’ prices that turn into, those being inhabitants, to look for more economically viable alternatives, giving way to those who can invest, a fact that may not have a direct relation to tourism in some cases but which, without doubt, has meant an aggravating item. 

The increase in prices in touristic  is one of the reasons to destabilise local people, forcing them to assume higher prices, well above the standard prices they could find in any other street of the city outside the touristic path. If we look at Barcelona, coronavirus crises forced many restaurants in touristic areas to lower their prices to match those offered in the rest of the city, showing the prices war that tourism business means. Avoiding this through regulation policies could not only protect local citizens but ensuring tourists pay for the right price of the product.

Positive economic impact: investing in people

From and economical point of view, it makes sense that as a business, tourism should bring benefits to the related area, but the challenge is making it in an equitable and sustainable way. It will bring nothing to improve the turnover if this does not bring a positive impact in the welcoming area. This is, to have a true benefit it has to mean an advantage to all implied parties and, if managed in a controlled and efficient way, tourism can have the enormous power of enriching the population through the creation and maintenance of jobs both, direct and indirect. 

On the contrary some multinationals, way away from applying a sustainable tourism system, choose to do the other way around, what is known as “scape”. These are business models where profits are not left in the welcoming Country nor bring any profit to the Country, like in hotels with an all-inclusive regime, where customers do not go away from the resort and, therefore, do not generate a positive impact to the area’s economy. They do create an impact indeed but negative as far as taxes is concerned, since the required infrastructures to welcome tourism are often financed through this business. It will require though to weight the generated impact of tourism against the cost that population  pays for. If there is no balance, then we are presumably facing a non-sustainable system and which will need to be revisited.

Tourism is in the end, our joint responsibility since we have all been involved for some time. There are actions that depend only on the individual responsibility and commitment to bet for a sustainable life model, also when we travel. The other side of the management, and that with a higher impact, belongs to the private and public organisations that will need to plan tourism facing next coming years with a clear motive: a bet for sustainability is a bet for the future.

Do you love to travel? With 11Onze Viatges you can book accommodation at the best price, without stifling the travel industry.

The concept of “fast fashion” has boosted clothing consumption over the last quarter of a century. This is a very aggressive model for the environment, which has led the textile industry to become the second most polluting in the world. The situation is beginning to change, but the supposed circularity is still a long way off.

If you are planning a trip to Chile this summer and decide to visit the stunning Atacama Desert, you will be surprised by an unwanted attraction. Thousands of tonnes of textile waste accumulate in what has become the world’s largest used clothing dump.

Unfortunately, it is not the only one. As Greenpeace reports, every year a huge amount of clothing ends up in landfills in far-flung places. And this problem is just the tip of the iceberg of the damage the textile sector causes to the environment.

Over the last quarter of a century, the “fast fashion” model promoted by giants such as Inditex, based on a high turnover of cheap, low-quality clothes, has driven clothing consumption through the roof. In the European Union, for example, the amount of clothes bought per person has increased by 40% since 1996. Each year, Europeans consume 26 kg of textiles and discard 11 kg, most of which are incinerated or end up in landfill. Only a tiny amount of clothing is recycled. 

The second most polluting industry

The so-called circularity of the fashion industry is still a long way off. As the UN warned in 2019, it is the second most polluting sector in the world in several areas, after oil. And data from the European Parliament point in the same direction.

For a start, dyes and finishing products are responsible for 20% of global drinking water pollution. Some substances used to colour clothes end up in rivers, with the consequent impact on their flora and fauna. A paradigmatic case is that of Bangladesh, where rivers such as the Buriganga have periodically changed colour due to the hundreds of tanneries installed on their banks.

Another issue is the enormous amount of water resources required by the textile industry: to produce a single cotton T-shirt, 2,700 litres of water are needed, the same as a person drinks in several years. Cotton is one of the most water-intensive crops in the world.

The situation does not improve in the case of synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon. Although in these cases the water consumption is lower, their carbon footprint increases as they are derived from petroleum. In total, it is estimated that the fashion industry generates 10 % of global CO₂ emissions.

Furthermore, the washing of synthetic clothing, which is not biodegradable, releases half a million tonnes of microfibres every year. This is 35% of the primary microplastics that end up in the oceans, according to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Towards a more circular sector

Environmental organisations are calling for a paradigm shift in the textile industry to make it more sustainable and for an international agreement to ban the export of textile waste.

The European Union has already urged governments to establish stricter laws on the production and recycling of clothing to reduce its ecological footprint. In fact, EU countries are obliged to have a separate collection of textiles by 2025 and the circular economy action plan aims for a fully carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

The European strategy includes new eco-design requirements for textile products, clearer consumer information and a digital passport for garments. The idea is to make manufacturers responsible for their products along the entire value chain and to make it easier for consumers to choose more sustainable clothing thanks to the Ecolabel.

Beyond the regulatory framework, individual awareness is crucial. In this respect, a recent OCU survey gives grounds for optimism, with 36% of respondents already avoiding “fast fashion” brands, 84% saying they do not buy more clothes than necessary and 89% donating or recycling their clothes. If the trend takes hold, perhaps the Atacama Desert can remain just that: a desert.

If you want to wash your clothes without polluting the planet, 11Onze Recommends Natulim.

More than 3,000 tonnes of gold are mined globally every year. However, the mining industry faces growing problems related to climate change, from the management of increasingly scarce water in some areas to landslides and dam failures in other regions due to increasingly torrential rains.

No one can deny that gold mines pollute. The use of materials such as mercury or cyanide in the extraction process poses a risk to the environment. In addition, these mines generate a large amount of greenhouse gases because huge amounts of energy are needed to process so many tonnes of material.

Despite this negative contribution to climate change, it is also true that gold is playing an important role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Among other applications, gold improves the efficiency of solar panels, gold catalysts are used to convert CO₂ into fuel, and gold nanoparticles boost the performance of hydrogen batteries.

An industry vulnerable to climate change

Because of its great value and utility, it seems impossible to do without the precious metal par excellence. But its extraction is not immune to the effects of global warming and extreme weather events. A report by the World Gold Council outlines the main risks of climate change for gold mining and the people who make a living from it.

Acute physical impacts typically manifest themselves in the form of weather events such as tropical storms, forest fires, droughts and floods, while chronic impacts refer to long-lasting changes in, for example, average air or land temperature, sea level, water acidification or soil quality. The combined effects of both types of risk cannot be ignored, amplifying the threat to mining infrastructure processes and local communities.

It should be borne in mind that gold mines play a crucial role in the economic and social development of some emerging economies. Moreover, some of the nations that host these mining operations are among the most vulnerable to the destructive effects of climate change and associated extreme weather events. 

The drama of water

Water management has been identified as a key issue for gold mines, as a large amount of water is required in the processing of extracted minerals. Increased drought in many areas of the world can lead to conflicts with local people over the sharing of this scarce commodity, as well as increased salinity of water, which increases the corrosion of processing plant equipment.

Increased extreme rainfall is also a risk, as it can lead to the flooding of tailings dams and pits, as has happened recently in some mines in Africa and Australia, or the overflowing of tailings dams.

Several mines in Peru have warned of the risk of increased rainfall causing landslides (and in particular mudslides), which would require increased safety measures in the design of storage ponds, walls and embankments. 

Rising temperatures

Rising average temperatures, reflected in the number of days exceeding the heat stress index, are having an impact on the safety, well-being and productivity of workers. One example is the increase in diseases linked to hot climates, such as malaria and yellow fever.

The efficiency and performance of mining equipment are also being affected by rising thermometers. In regions such as Turkey, Greece, Brazil, Australia and North America, which are at high risk of extreme heat, more frequent equipment breakdowns are expected. In addition, more energy will be needed to cool underground mines and surface buildings and facilities.

In parts of Canada, where frozen ground makes it easier for drill rigs to access, rising temperatures pose a different set of challenges. Freeze-thaw cycles will affect process engineering and asset maintenance programmes.

In addition, climate change is a factor in mine closure and biodiversity restoration programmes, as rising temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of these programmes and extreme precipitation can erode rehabilitated areas. 

Complications for energy supply

According to the report, energy supply will be significantly disrupted by long-term temperature increases, which cause additional wear and tear on systems. In addition, weather events such as storms and fires can affect power lines or communications-related infrastructure.

A severe storm in 2018 caused the collapse of power lines supplying a mine in South Africa. Backup generators were also damaged during a power surge in a shaft, leaving personnel without emergency power, who could not be lifted to the surface until temporary power lines were installed two days later.

Moreover, both low reservoir levels and rising sea levels are affecting the production of hydroelectric power from which some gold mines are fed.

In the face of all these climate change-related risks, mining companies have no choice but to take steps to improve the planning and design of their infrastructure, as well as increase their engagement with local communities, as the World Gold Council report highlights.

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The number of people living in slave-like conditions has been growing steadily since 2016 and it is no secret that mass production of cheap goods often relies on factories in developing countries where people work in subhuman conditions. So why do we continue to ignore the issue as consumers?

The latest estimates from the Global Slavery Index’s annual report indicate that 50 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery and that almost 10 million more men, women, girls and boys have been forced into labour or marriage since 2016.

Although modern slavery can take many forms, regarding labour, we refer to it as a condition of exploitation whereby a person, today, is forced to work in subhuman conditions without being able to refuse because of coercion, threats or abuse of power, among others.

Tragedies such as the one in Bangladesh in 2013, when the Rana Plaza building collapsed, killing 1134 people and injuring 2500, or the fire at the school bag factory in Delhi in 2019, where dozens of workers who produced goods and garments for Western clothing brands died, exposed the role of the fashion industry in modern slavery.

It is a secret that has been hidden in plain sight for years. From raw materials to manufacturing to packaging to delivery, modern slavery is embedded in the supply chains of the global garment industry that meets consumer demand in Europe, the United States and other developed economies.

The human cost of fast fashion

The fast fashion business model, initially popularised by large chains such as Zara and H&M and recently joined by other brands such as Shein and Temu, is based on mass production and consumption that increases at the same speed as changing trends. Consumers buy clothes that are fashionable but of low quality and low cost.

The brands that offer this type of articles change their products frequently. To maximise profits, they carry out a policy of offshoring by manufacturing them in developing countries, paying workers low wages and even ignoring shortcomings in terms of safety or working conditions.

This production model is not only very aggressive towards the environment and has led the textile industry to become the second most polluting in the world but entails complex and opaque supply chains, many of them marred by forced labour.

Our responsibility as consumers

Today’s globalised supply chains indeed make it almost impossible to prevent the goods or services we consume from being free from the scourge of exploitation or even slavery. Still, this cannot be an excuse for shirking our responsibility as consumers to inform ourselves about how a product is made, rather than simply choosing the cheapest one.

Cultural relativism or the trivialisation of the concept of slavery can help us to lessen our sense of guilt, but these semantic gymnastics cannot let us forget that, as consumers, we can play an important role in fostering collective awareness through responsible shopping and demanding more concrete actions from big brands to tackle a systemic problem that we have all perpetuated.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Do you know how much water you are drinking and how much you could save with a water filter? Small changes in our consumption habits can lead to significant savings. Amadeu Vilaginés, from the 11Onze product team, explains how to save hundreds of euros a year by purchasing a tap filter instead of bottles of water.

We often think that saving money means depriving ourselves of luxuries that require major expenses, such as going on holiday or having the latest generation mobile phone. Yet, there are smaller, recurrent expenses on products or services that we consume on a daily basis that we can reduce by simply changing our consumption habits. The result can be a considerable amount of savings at the end of the year.

As Amadeu Vilaginés explains, “water is a basic good, essential for us, but we do not see it as a luxury product, since our homes have running water“. But tap water doesn’t always taste good or give us enough confidence, so many people end up buying bottled water. This is one of the so-called “ant costs“, which end up having a significant effect on our wallets.

Reducing a recurring cost, also for the environment

The fact that we can find bottles of water at affordable prices in all supermarkets may lead us to think that our expenditure on bottled water is relatively insignificant. But, as Vilaginés points out, “this is a recurrent cost, which may seem very small when we look at it individually, but once we add them all up, the difference is clear to see“.

A family of four consuming the recommended daily amount of water, 2 litres per day, in bottles of water, accumulates 45 kg of plastic waste at the end of the year, and an average expenditure of 700 euros per year. On the other hand, Vilaginés details that by consuming tap water, the total cost, at the end of the year, for this family would be only 2 euros. And for people concerned about the bad taste of tap water or the chemicals it may contain, water filters are an equally sustainable solution for the environment and our wallets.

If you want to discover how to drink the best water, save money and help the planet, go to 11Onze Essentials.