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How to Green your PC (and save some money) April 2008
The rapid advancement of computer technology has had a very nasty and unforeseen impact on the environment. When you consider that computers now consume about 10 percent of the electricity generated in the United States and that many PCs still end up in landfills, releasing deadly chemicals, it makes sense to adopt more eco-friendly technology options. If saving the environment isn't your thing, perhaps saving your hard-earned money is. Going Green means becoming more energy efficient, which saves money. Here are some tips for making more eco-friendly decisions with the technology you use in you daily life. Manage power consumption. Did you know that approximately 40 per cent of the energy used for home electronics is consumed while these devices are turned off or idling? For the casual computer user, the best thing to do is to shut down all of your electronic components and then turn off the power strip. This solution will not work for everyone because when your computer is off, it will not be able to perform scheduled tasks such as backups and routine maintenance such as anti-virus scans. Turning off the power strip will also disable your phone and your Internet service. For the best power management, we recommend that you always turn off your printer, scanner, and monitor since these devices consume the most energy. Extend the life of your PC. If your PC is not working like it used to or it is a few years old and you're thinking of getting a new one, you may only need to upgrade some of its parts to make it run at top capacity. You can safely (and cheaply) upgrade many components such as the monitor, hard drive, or RAM to your existing PC. Upgrades such as a brand new monitor ( A liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor uses one third the energy of a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor and lasts twice as long) or hard drive will use less energy while RAM will increase the performance of your computer. Performing regular system maintenance (such as defragmenting the hard drive, removing unnecessary files and scanning for viruses on your computer) can also extend its life. Assign a new role to your PC. Before you toss that computer in the garbage, should consider giving that old PC new life by giving it a new role Give that old computer new life on your business or home network, by using it as a file server for documents, music or pictures or whatever so that you can access your files from any computer. Install a TV tuner card and use the hard drive to record your favorite TV shows. Move the old PC to a spare bedroom or the let the kids use it for their games or homework. Set the machine up in the kitchen with Internet access and the old PC becomes an electronic cookbook that helps you search for and file new recipes.
Buy used technology. Don’t want to spend a fortune on technology? You can find top quality, totally functional used electronics at sites like Ebay and Craigslist, and even at yard sales and flea markets. This not only cuts down on the amount of new resources being used for the production of more stuff, it also creates a market for sellers to safely move electronics they’re no longer using. Ebay’s Easytradein.com is a good resource for the electronics you are ready to part with. You might even be surprised what comes up on Freecycle.
Recycle your PC. Perhaps the greenest thing you can do is keep your computer out of the landfill. Approximately 70 per cent of the heavy metals found in landfills emanate from electronics, and PCs (especially older ones) contain toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and polyvinyl chloride. If your PC has reached the end of its life cycle, reputable recycling companies or charities that will take your hardware and find new uses for it. The best place to take your old computer is The Surplus Exchange. They collect old computers and monitors and donate them to local schools, charities, libraries and other groups. They can be reached at 816-472-0444 or visit them on the web at www.surplusexchange.org. You can also check with your PC's manufacturer. A growing number of PC makers have recycling programs and will take back PCs at the end of their lives.
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