Green Computing

Most people go on the computer several times a day, so why not be as environmentally friendly as possible? For those who are thinking of a new computer this season, here are a couple of my top picks:

Apple's Macbook uses almost no energy (a light bulb uses four times as much energy), and the it is free of mercury, arsenic, PVC, and brominated flame retardant. It is also almost completely recyclable.

Dell's Bamboo Computer is approximately eighty percent smaller then a standard mini-tower desk top, and uses seventy percent less energy.

MicroPro Computers' biodegradable PC iameco (pronounced I am Eco). With bodies, keyboard casings and mice out of recycled wood, the computers are designed to be zero-waste computers so that they can be easily upgraded rather than replaced.

*One tip, laptops almost always use less energy then desktops, and flat screens use about one third the energy of CRTs*

While not everyone is in the market for a new computer, there are some ways we can all be a little more green with our computer usage.

-Turn your computer off when you aren't using it.

-Unplug you computer when you can to stop "Phantom power use".

-Avoid screen savers; they have been known to use MORE energy then letting the screen dim.

-When away from you desktop for fifteen minutes or more, turn off the monitor.

-Change you power settings.

If you want to see how power smart your current computer is, check out http://www.epeat.net/ . EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) is all about finding the greenest electronics.

If you have a favourite environmentally friendly computer, or green cimouting tip LET ME KNOW!! COMMENT!

Electric Cars

Cars are the largest contributors to pollution we use in our everyday lives. Their main problem is that they burn a non-renewable resource as a fuel, but how can we get where we need to go with- out them? One way to get rid of these harmful emissions is to use electric cars. It used to be that if you wanted to drive eco, your only option was a smart car; however, with the recent improvements in technology you can get anything from a four door sedan, to a cute convertible. There are a lot of choices, and most of the already trusted car makers are putting out electric cars now, like Nissan, General Motors, Ford, and Honda, just to name a few. Electric cars usually start at around $35000 dollars. With everyone trying to make better decisions and help create a better planet for generations to come, cars that don't have an oil dependency are being favored more and more. The U.S.'s renewable power has already greatly surpassed their nuclear power production, and is closing in on oil. Oil is soon to be on the decline.

Blanket

Warm, and snugly. Winter is coming and who doesn't love curling up in a blanket? Well one "person" you might not be considering is your hot water tank. Hot water tanks are used as a replacement for pipes that heat as the water goes through them. They are worse for energy conservation because they can lose a lot of heat through their metal exteriors. An insulated blanket helps save energy because it will keep the hot water's existing heat in, so you don't have to pay to heat your house through your hot water tank. Hot water tank blankets can be found at most home improvement stores like The Home Depot and Rona, and tend to cost $40.00 to $60.00 dollars.