Equipping the modern home for cleaner, more efficient living

World Environment Day on 5 June is a reminder that climate change is no longer measured only by distant targets or policy commitments. Increasingly, it is felt in everyday life, from hotter days and heavier rainfall to poorer air quality, higher humidity, and rising pressure on household energy use.

The 2026 global campaign focuses on climate change and the urgent signals the Earth is sending. Climate Action Tracker currently rates South Africa’s policies and action as “Insufficient”, meaning stronger action is still needed to align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit.

For Trevor Brewer, Director at consumer technology specialist Solenco, the home is an important place for practical change.

“Climate action can feel big and abstract, but people experience environmental change in ordinary ways at home,” says Brewer. “They feel it when rooms become hotter, when damp builds up, when the air feels heavy, when allergies flare, or when electricity use becomes harder to manage. Those are all signs that the way we live indoors needs to become more efficient and more intentional.”

These changes affect more than comfort. The US Environmental Protection Agency notes that people spend about 90% of their time indoors, where some pollutant concentrations are often two to five times higher than typical outdoor levels. The World Health Organization also links building dampness, moisture, and biological contaminants, such as mould, to indoor air quality and health concerns. As homes stay closed during cold or wet weather, dust, odours, pollutants, and moisture can build up more easily indoors.

Brewer says households do not have to start with large, expensive changes. The first step is to understand where energy is being wasted and where we can improve the way we control our environment at home.

“Many homes still rely on products that use more electricity than necessary, or systems that solve one problem while creating another. An air conditioner may cool a room, but it is not always the most efficient way to increase airflow or control moisture. A tumble dryer may solve wet laundry, but it can also become one of the more energy-intensive appliances in the home,” he says.

Small things can make a difference. Energy-efficient fans, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, battery-powered cleaning technology, and smart heating options can help households manage comfort, support better indoor air, and reduce unnecessary energy use.

“Cleaner living is not only about what we remove from the environment. It is also about what we choose to bring into our homes. Choosing efficient, durable, well-designed products helps people reduce waste, protect indoor comfort, and use energy more carefully over time,” says Brewer.

“World Environment Day should not only make us think about the planet at a global level. It should also make us look at the daily choices we make in our own homes, and for our own health. The appliances we choose, the energy we use, and the air we breathe are all part of the same conversation,” says Brewer.