Go Greener Tips

Archive for the ‘Green Gadgets’ Category

Today’s technology is working wonders for convenience, but is doing a number on the already-limited amount of energy resources available to us. By doing a once-over at home with these tips and replacing some of your less environmentally-friendly gadgets, you can learn how to make your home appliances and entertainment systems run more efficiently (and lower your bills in the process). Do your part to help save Mother Earth, without sacrificing your love of technology.

Luckily, forward-thinking companies have caught on and are beginning to create green gadgets to help you preserve energy from the very beginning. Slick HD flat-screen television monitors are now available with an energy-saving standby mode, while power-saving light sensors will automatically adjust screen intensity, significantly cutting down on power needs without depleting your high definition viewing pleasure.

Addicted to your iPod? Get rid of your big stereo and all of the messy, but necessary hook-up cords required to access your iTunes through the speakers, and pick up an iPod dock. The sustainable handmade Vers Mamboo dock comes in eco-friendly bamboo and requires very little energy to get great sound out of its two speakers and two rear subwoofers.

Just can’t give up your all-in-one phone? Fortunately, there is a new planet-friendly model available from Nokia, featuring plastic made from plants and a low-energy touch screen. Laptop users that require a mouse might want to switch over to the the heat-converting DORmino mouse, that finds a practical use for the heat pumped out from the nearby laptop.

It’s not just techie gadgets that are being power-proofed, either. Household appliances are getting a facelift, as well – not only do they cut down on energy use and costs, but they come in slick, smart designs to help your home look good. Slow-cookers (that’s crock pot to your mother) are a smart and efficient way to prepare dinner, especially now that some come equipped with insulated lids to hold the heat in and require less effort from the energy source.

Maybe one days, chemical laundry detergents will be completely replaced by soap nuts. Popular in India but not as well-known elsewhere, the new Electrolux E-Wash is specially designed for washing with soap nuts. Since just one kilo of nuts will last a household an entire year, the extra cost of the high-tech machine will quickly pay off. Or, try washing with 1,000-wash eco-balls, that ionize water to help get your clothes extra clean. Watch as the grocery bills deplete, happily missing laundry detergent from the list.

Coffee, tea, and soup can be eco-friendly, too, when prepared with water boiled in an energy-efficient kettle. Set the kettle to heat the water to the precise temperature you need, using 25% less electricity that a boiling stovetop pot.

Help save the planet in the bedroom, too, with an organic latex mattress. With no metals or chemicals added, latex mattresses are also useful for allergy-prone sleepers.

And to top it all off, some green companies are packaging their funky, friendly wares in recycled cardboard boxes.

Direct TV is the nation’s leader in satellite TV. For the best TV on TV, check out the many great Direct TV packages.

Author: Tom Macintosh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Pressure Cooker

I like electronic things for the freedom and flexibility they bring me but I never ever considered myself a gadget person. However, my family members mention that I am – I have a SLR photographic camera, a good cellphone, several computers and a Satnav product. All very basic and things that I expect a number of people have too. It does not seem to be that much to me, however my spouse is a technophobe and considers anyone with any sort of electronic kit to be a geek. Various other people seem to possess much more than I have but, without doubt, my family members name me gadgety so I suppose I am.

I am also “eco-friendly” – I like to think I recycle and reuse material when I can. I realize I might be better. Very much better. But – I never think about “eco-friendly” when purchasing gadgets. Do you? I guess not according to research. I don’t understand if it is very good news or bad but it appears that I am in the vast majority as it appears that 60% of people that buy devices are not eco-friendly either. The attraction of the gadget outshines the desire to save the natural world.

However people DO recognize that there is an environmentally friendly issue – 60% evidently. Therefore what is preventing “green” and “device” taking place at the same time? Well, it looks that there is not sufficient info being given to gadget buyers about how eco-friendly the device may end up being or just what the company is accomplishing to aid the natural environment. My personal washer and dryer tell me what influence they may have on the environment but my phone and camera don’t do the self same thing. How freewheeling of them.

The gadget organizations that manufacture these products (and distribute them) possess a chance to improve things. This may include how the gadget is lower emission or how raw resources are sourced from less harming environments. It surely does make good sense to begin the process. I can see a commercial, as well as an environmental, advantage.

Yet, as things stand, I am assuming that the mass productivity of many of the non-green gadget components far outweigh the potential short term loss of research and marketing of the eco-friendly device. Government grants are given to car manufacturers (there has been one given to a company for the manufacture and promotion of electric cars in the UK) so why not to other organizations?

Mark Clayson is a professional, home business entrepreneur, mentor and speaker. Visit his Social Media Blog to find out more.

Author: Dr. Mark Clayson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rate

I am searching an answers for hybrid cars, I am interested in this topic and want to know everything about it, so how do hybrid cars help the environment?

One of the most interesting things about the beginning period of any year is looking forward to what might happen for the next twelve months.

While electronics have been a solid prospect with buyers in previous years some are looking at the current economic conditions and wondering how they will fare for 2009

Without wanting to jinx anything things don’t look like they will be as bad as people think with electronics remaining on many people’s wish lists for the next twelve months.

Outside of that, what else is likely to happen in 2009?

Here are 10 events and trends I think we will see in 2009:

Prediction#1 High definition and high resolution gadgets will continue to gain in popularity

The high definition TV or a HD camcorder used to be outside of many people’s price range but that has changed.

It is now possible to find a HDTV in the sub US five hundred dollar mark and high definition camcorder for around US$200.

It goes without saying that more and more will be buying high definition 1080i TVs, HD camcorders and high resolution cameras in the coming months as even more mid-ranged products go high res.

Prediction#2 Digital TV will take off

The world is currently in the midst of a digital television revolution.

The DTV process started in 2003 and the first wave of countries converted is expected to finish the process between 2012 and 2013.

As a result, 2009 is an important year for many countries.

The US shifted from NTSC to ATSC US in February, with other countries being at around the half-way point of their DTV conversion.

Not everybody knows the ins and outs of the digital TV standards yet… ATSC, DVB-T and other digital TV standards around the world are a mystery to many.

However, people are actively searching for the televisions Digital TV tuners and DTV peripheral devices and will continue to do so in 2009.

Prediction#3 Projectors will gain in popularity

It used to be that you wouldn’t see a projector in anybody’s house, but technological and manufacturing developments have changed all that.

You can now get a multimedia projector or a LCD projector for less than 300 dollars US and there are several pico projectors on the market which will fit in peoples’ pockets.

Home projector and projector home theater will continue to be popular through 2009 as projector gets more coverage and consumers make their nests more comfortable.

Prediction#4 Blue Ray will get closer towards the mainstream.

The big news on the high definition disc last year was the format wars between Blue Ray and HD.

And even though HD had conceded defeat early in 2008 at CES Blue Ray hasn’t really made that much of a splash in the market outside of getting titles and players ready to ship to the populous.

2009 will be the year when almost everybody makes the shift to blue ray.

Prediction#5 Cell Phones will continue to grow steadily in developing markets.

Outside of the release of big-name cell phones like the 3G iPhone and the HTC G1 (the first phone with Google’s long-touted android OS) the cell phone market in the developed world hasn’t grown that much and doesn’t look like doing so.

Analysts say this is largely because mobile phone markets there have reached saturation point and most people will only be looking for replacement cell phones now.

That’s not the case in developing nations though where cell phones are no where near as commonly seen. In China cell phones are one of the hot ticket items with no contract cell phones being the most popular.

The popularity of the prepaid phone will continue through 2009 and in the foreseeable future.

Most customers wanting to buy no contract cell phones are looking for phones that give them high degrees of freedom and networks don’t tend to have the data support and features that companies like AT&T and Orange do.

The GSM phone and GSM in general is likely to reign supreme as a result.

There will be a new level of importance being placed on the international phone as well, largely because of the wider market.

The quad band phone and quad band telecommunication device will be an almost essential item for anybody looking for a cell phone wholesale company or China cellphones wholesale source because they want to start a mobile phone business.

Prediction#6 Netbooks with 3G connection capabilities will become popular items.

The trend which started with the Asus Eeee for low powered low specd laptop computers suited to surfing the internet and sending emails has taken off.

Now people have realized that notebook computers don’t have to come from a brand name supplier and they are actually seeking out cheaper models.

As a result there is going to be an explosion of 3G netbooks this year. Especially since the rise of Linux has reduced dependency on punishment happy Microsoft.

Which leads me to….

Prediction#7 Linux will gain ground as an operating system

With China electronics manufacturers making many of the entry-level netbooks they will be looking for ways to reduce cost levels without causing any legal difficulties.

As Linux is open source it doesn’t give them the same level of problems as Microsoft or Macintosh.

And as Linux systems become easier to use more people will make the shift, lessening Microsoft’s hold on operating systems.

Prediction#8 WiFi standard 802.11N will finally be released

While Wifi has been gaining popularity like nobody’s business the technology has been less quick to develop.

Manufacturers have been making devices to the G standard since 2003 and have been looking for an improvement.

Signs are good that 2009 will see the release of the WLAN 802.11N standard, with the standards group releasing and signing off on drafts all the way through last year.

Improvements people think the new standard will make include the end of interference from devices like microwaves and a wider reception from more aerials.

Prediction#9 Solid state drive computers will appear

Flash storage prices have been falling faster than Motorola share values in the last couple of years.

As a result there are lots of USB storage and external storage devices that could store the contents of your computer and have room for seconds selling at very reasonable prices (compared to what they were previously).

While the price of SSD isn’t at a low enough position for everyone to have a laptop holding a SSD, they should start to appear.

Prediction#10 People will be on the look out for solar powered gadgets and green gadgets

The electronic world will go even greener in 2009.

No we’re not talking about the occasional solar powered calculator or torch this will be a stronger shift towards things currently known as green gadgets.

There can be no doubts there have been leaps and bounds in solar technology with solar panels turning up on everything from bags to the windows of buildings.

In fact a solar charger and solar battery for cell phones and smaller gadgets has gone from being a rarity to being rather common place and the number of devices that use solar power or solar energy to keep going has increased tenfold.

Solar lights are even turning up in gardens at Christmas now.

Gadgets powered by other forms of alternative energy, like dynamo-powered gadgets, and electronic appliances made with other materials, like the wooden cell phone and iPod re-encased in wood, are turning up.

People are looking for these devices too and you can bet that many solar lights and clean green gadgets will be appearing on many people’s wish list for at least the next year.

So there you go. 10 things which are likely to happen in the electronics world.

If you want to be kept up to date with everything that’s going on in the electronics and gadget world why don’t you come to Chinavasion or join Chinavasion’s RSS feed and find out why Chinavasion is the best source for Western quality electronics at wholesale China prices.

Author: Rose Li
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing

Check out these five green gadgets you can buy on the cheap. Make just a small investment of your time to implement these things in and around your home. It will save you money on your power bill while helping the environment. You can find these gadgets at any hardware store, Lowes, or Home Depot.

Here are the five inexpensive things that will help you save energy and money.

1. Compact flourescent light bulbs: It is a fact that if every American household converted five regular light bulbs to five flourescent bulbs, the energy saved would be equal to taking a million cars off the highway for a full year. How is that for an ah-ha moment?

2. Outdoor Solar Lights: They don’t burn any electricity or use any CO2. Just be sure they get sunlight during the day and they will light your walkways in the evening. Prices vary, but most are under $100.

3. Programable Thermostats: A difference of just 2 degrees can reduce a homes CO2 emissions by up to 9% over the course of a year.

4. Air Filters: If you change the air filters in your heating and cooling system at least twice an year (Spring and Fall) of can knock off 2% of your homes CO2 emissions a year. There will be less dust and chance for allergies and sickness as well.

5. Electric Hot Water Blankets: This small investment (about $18) can save you 4 1/2% on your power bill over the course of a year.

Working toward a better tomorrow. BarbaraRae http://www.goalforthegreen.com/

Author: Barbara Rae
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Information

People spend hundreds of dollars every year on keeping their lawn and garden looking lush and beautiful. It continues to be an unspoken contest between neighbors as to whose yard and flowers can look the best. And when the weather doesn’t provide the needed moisture to achieve that beauty, most people won’t hesitate to pay for sprinklers and extra water. But if you’re looking for a way to conserve that precious water and your hard-earned money, you’ll want to check out these two green gadgets.

One simple, yet innovative water-conserving gadget is the Collapsible Rain Barrel. With this handy Rain Barrel you can use the weather to your advantage and save money on your next water bill. Simply place the Collapsible Rain Barrel under your rain gutter’s downspout to catch up to 52 gallons of water.

Equipped with a filter that keeps out leaves and other debris, the rain barrel will catch and hold runoff water throughout the season. Then when it hasn’t rained for days and your flowers are looking dry, just use the conserved rain water rather than rolling out the hose. In fact, the Collapsible Rain Barrel also features a threaded release valve so you can hook up your hose just like you would to the water faucet. And when the cold comes and your lawn and flowers are done for the season, the rain barrel collapses so you can easily store it away for winter.

Another great, green gadget for conserving water is the Intelligent Sprinkler Controller. You will be impressed by this gadget’s ability to sense the weather and control your water use accordingly. You won’t have to bear the unneeded expense of watering your lawn if nature is promising to do it for you.

The Intelligent Sprinkler Controller is a money-saving and water-saving gadget that not only allows you to put your sprinklers on a timer, but also detects when it’s going to rain. Using a built-in barometer, the Sprinkler Controller actually monitors air pressure and cancels its sprinkling schedule if rain is in the forecast within the next 12 hours. Then if no rain is being detected the controller automatically returns to its pre-set, scheduled sprinkling time.

All you have to do is attach your sprinkler controller to any standard spigot. Then set the day of the week, time, and duration of watering with the five-button control panel and LCD display. This handy outdoor gadget will even calculate how many gallons of water you are saving when it’s not watering during a rainstorm.

If you’re looking for more ways to save some money and go green check out more eco-friendly gadgets at Gadgetfind.com

Start doing your part and being green. Find green gadgets like the Intelligent Sprinkler Controller and many others at GadgetFind.com today. Jeremy Thompson is an editor at GadgetFind.com – the fun to browse site for all the latest technology and gadgets.

Author: Jeremy Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace

Although many of us are becoming energy conscious and would like to do everything we can to minimize our carbon footprint, we still don’t want to give up all of our gadgets which make our lives so much more convenient. Luckily, there are more and more gadgets coming out every day which give us the best of both worlds. Here are a few of the coolest:

1. The Pico (made by Freeloader)

The U.S. department of energy has estimated that almost 75% of our household’s energy costs are spent keeping all of our gadgets charged up and in standby mode. The Pico is a portable solar-powered charger that will let you charge your iPod, cell phone, GPS devices, and many other small gadgets. Not only do you save money by using free solar energy, but you’ll make the earth a greener place.

2. The Moof Bike (made by Areaware)

Bicycles are already one of the greenest ways to travel, but what about the light on your bike that helps you see in the dark? Areaware takes green travel to the next level by installing a solar-powered bike light. It charges during the day and is ready to go every night. No need to ever buy batteries for your bike again.

3. U6 Limited Edition Bamboo Notebook (made by Asus)

Apple always advertises how eco-friendly their products are, but the fact is that they are still made from metal and plastic. Asus has released a notebook which is made mostly from bamboo wood. Bamboo is an extremely tough material, and it’s also completely biodegradable.

4. Motorola Renew (available for T-Mobile customers)

This is a great product for eco-conscious people who feel guilty about using their cell phone every day. The Motorola Renew is made completely from recycled plastic bottles.

5. Dodge ZEO (made by Chrysler)

This is one of the newest electric cars to hit the market. ZEO stands for “zero emission operation”. You may think that electric cars are slow, clunky, and inefficient. That’s not the case anymore. The Dodge ZEO can go from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds, and it has a top speed of 130 mph. A single charge will allow you to travel 250 miles in this car. Once the price begins to come down on electric cars, it’s likely that we’ll all have them.

6. The Ecopod (made by AKRA Ecopod)

If you’ve spent your entire life making the earth a better place, why would you stop at your death? Our coffins can take hundreds of years to decompose. An Ecopod is a great coffin for any environmentalist. It is made from 100% naturally hardened recycled paper and will naturally decompose in the ground.

Technology doesn’t necessarily have to conflict with our desire to keep the earth beautiful. If you begin by integrating just one or two green gadgets into your life, you’ll be well on your way to a fully green lifestyle. Even if you don’t want any of these fancy gadgets, a great idea is to begin using biodegradable trash bags or clear trash bags which are designed for recycling.

Author: Chris Pine
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: US Dollar credit card

What do you think about hybrid cars? Would you buy one? Do you think they’re a genius creation or a waste of money?

Today with the onset of climate warming, pollution in the air and the ever growing mounds of garbage more and more people around the world are thinking green. Part of this mentality is concerned with the three “R”s Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. The general public just cannot accomplish this by themselves; they must enlist the help of the manufacturers of the products they use. These products are commonly referred to as green gadgets.

What is meant by this is that the manufactures have to take into consideration the environment when building and packaging their products whether be common gadgets or electronic products. In developing these eco friendlier products, manufactures have to keep the following characteristics in mind.

• The product itself should consist of little or no toxic materials.
• The manufacturers should adopt policies and processes that are environmentally friendly by using efficient manufacturing processes and reducing the number of materials used in the product.
• The components of the product should consist of recycled materials such a recycled plastic bottles and arsenic free glass.
• Their processes should be efficient as possible while drawing very little power.
• The products they produce should have the ability to use rechargeable battery packs rather than disposable ones.
• Rechargeable products can be recharged from power sources such as gadgets that generate power from the sun, the wind or simply by cranking or winding.
• The green gadgets themselves must be useful in performing jobs that help reduce energy in your everyday life such as helping to reduce fuel consumption and emissions into the atmosphere.
• Packaging is also very important, the materials used in the packaging of any produced should consist of 100% recycled materials.
• All products should also have the ability to be recycled easily through trade in programs offered by the manufacturer.

If you would like to do your part to help save the planet, then you may want to check out http://www.greenenergytechnology.info to find out how you can save on electricity.

Author: Gordon Capstone
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

If your love for books is still leading you to resist a digital ebook reader like Amazon’s Kindle, you may reconsider when you think about the ebook reader as a green gadget. Books, newspapers and magazines use a lot of paper for production, and the paper and ink process can effect the environment in such a negative way. So looking at it this way, an ebook is a choice to go green by eliminating tree cutting.

Ebooks use rechargeable lithium polymer batteries which is another benefit to consider. In comparison to their counterparts, nickel-based batteries, they aren’t as harmful, and your pocket will thank you when you don’t have to pay out regularly for batteries.

Unfortunately, it is the way it goes, and with these positive attributes, a new set of problems follows. Our society relies heavily on technology, and to meet the needs, manufacturers are frantically producing new gadgets to satsify. We buy the new gadget, and don’t responsibly dispose of our “old” electronic devices. Electronic waste isn’t going to go away, and honestly it is piling up. Recycling isn’t hard, and you can donate your old gadget to a non-profit organization or a school that has suffered from budget cuts as long as the device is still in good working condition.

As mentioned, manufacturers are striving to improve the ebook. Currently, you have to charge an ebook with a computer or wall charger depending on which one you own. This does produce greenhouse gases, and as we know these gases are effecting the environment negatively. Perhaps soon, a manufacturer will create an ebook that can get its charge from the sun. What a great excuse to be able to lay out by the pool and read because you have to charge your ebook!

It would simply be unwise for a manufacturer to ignore society’s demand for “green” products. With current attention to the situation, improvements on gadgets should focus on the environment to satisfy the market.

If you are still shunning the ebook, do a little research. The portability and ease is simply amazing, and reading a novel digitally brings the story to life. In addition, you may want to look at the simple fact that you are contributing to saving trees. Most people agree that using an ebook is a fantastic way to go green.

There are plenty of good reasons for getting a handheld reading device and considering the green ebook reader is but one of them. To know what other advantages there are to owning an ebook reader and to find out more about today’s most popular e-reader, the Amazon Kindle, visit our site at http://EbookReadersResource.com.

Author: Travis Van Slooten
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Multi-cooker