How to be More Eco-Friendly Today
As you all know, a lot of attention is being put on the environment right now and how everyone can make themselves more eco-friendly. Today, we have made a list of 9 easy things that techies and bloggers can do to be more eco-friendly.
1. Turn your computer of at Night
This really isn’t that complicated, but a lot of people ignore it because it takes so long for their computer to boot up in the morning. It is estimated that it costs about $55 a year to keep a computer running all the time. If you only have it on during the hours you use it, it will only cost you about $15 a year and help the environment. You can even set your options so that your computer starts automatically in the morning a few minutes before you usually log on so you don’t have to wait for it to boot up. Read this PC World article for more information.
2. If you use an Apple, use the Mac’s Energy Saving Feature that “enables you to configure sleep mode parameters, schedule system shutdown and startup, and specify wake options to minimize the computer’s energy consumption.” All Mac computers come with Energy Saver enabled. You can get more information at Apple Environment
3. Save Paper with Green Print
Whenever your print websites, you often print pages with useless logos, banners, and legal/irrelevant information that you don’t need. This wastes paper, time, money, ink, and hurts the environment. GreenPrint avoids this. It has a new free version that analyzes what you are printing and makes sure you don’t waste paper and ink printing information you don’t need. The company estimates that GreenPrint can save users up to $90 and 1400 sheets of paper every year.
4. Rechargeable Batteries
Over 15 billion batteries are used and wasted every year worldwide. Save yourself the hassle of having to keep buying and wasting new batteries by using rechargeable batteries. Their convenient and eco-friendly. Visit Green Batteries for more information.
5. Buy a new LCD monitor
LCD monitors are more eco-friendly and can cut down as much as 1/3 of the energy your current monitor uses. In addition, make sure to recycle all parts of your computer whenever you upgrade.
6. Work From Home More
This is really a no-brainer. If you can, working from home allows you to get up later, work where you want, skip the morning and afternoon commutes and traffic, and help the environment. According to the Telework Coalition, working from home just twice a week can save 40% of your gas costs, which equates to around $625 annually.
7. Recycle Your Electronics
We all know that recycling paper and bottles is a great way to save the environment, but recycling electronics helps as well. DumbLittleMan has posted a list of items you never thought you could recycle . CollectiveGood is a good place to recycle used cell phones.
8. Become Carbon Neutral
CarbonFund.org is an organization that allows you to calculate how much carbon emission you cause annually and then allows you to make a donation to offset your carbon emissions. Your donation is used to research and develop eco-friendly products and alternative forms of energy.
9. Look for Soy Ink When Printing
Soy ink is usually cheaper and more eco-friendly than traditional ink so if you can purchase soy based ink, I suggest that you do so.
Soy ink is naturally low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds, chemical compounds that evaporate and react to sunlight) and its usage can reduce emissions causing air pollution.
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