Do this |
Because |
|
| Live a simple life free of gadgets and electronic devices |
It
may be bad for our economy the way we look at success, but living
simply without electronic devices reduces your pollution level
significantly. You do not use energy, you are not responsible for the
fabrication, shipping, distribution, marketing, use, disposal, ... of
devices that you may find are not that important to you. |
significant |
| Ignore latest-improved-version pressure |
Replacing
a product with something you want but not really need results in energy
consumption and the use of resources. Not doing it pollutes less. |
significant |
| Buy products that will function a long time |
Consumer
electronics that send and receive information are designed to function
only within a network. If the network changes you have to upgrade. That
is not done by accident. There is a profit to be made here and those
network and support structure changes are common in other industries as
well. Stay away from those products. You will never have the latest
model anyways. Or not very long. Buy products whose usable life span
you can control. Can you still use the product if the company who made
it goes out of business or ends the technical support for it? At the
very least, buy products that have been on the market for a while and
have network and support systems that seem to last. |
noticeable |
| Disconnect stand-by devices |
If
the lights or clock are on when the device is turned off it continues
to use electricity. Often as much as a light bulb. Sometimes the device
uses more energy when it is off than when it is in use. Unplugging the
item ends its energy consumption and pollution. |
noticeable |
| Recycle old electronics properly |
Consumer
electronics are full of materials that are either considered hazardous
waste or valuable for reuse. Recycling the devices results in properly
disposing off dangerous materials and re-integration of valuable
materials in the cycle of production. All results in less pollution.
Obviously, not using those devices or at least keeping them for a very
long time (and then recycle) is better. Recycling is just a patch to
make you feel better and continue shopping. |
not enough |
| Research power consumption of electronic device |
Not
all electronic devices are created equal. Some use more electricity
(and create more pollution) than others. Check the (independent)
product reviews or the manufacturer's technical manual for the level of
consumption of electricity or how long it will run on one set of
batteries. Do not forget that if they are made in a country with fewer
or less stringent environmental regulations they most likely polluted
more during their fabrication.. |
noticeable |
| Transfer text to computer in one session |
It
uses less time and energy if you plan and write it on a notepad first
and type it all when done rather than using the machine only when you
have a thought while the machine is consuming energy for hours. Writers
block should not require the use of electricity. |
not enough |
| Leave off printer if you do not plan to print |
There
is no reason to turn on the printer when you turn on the computer
unless you actually want to print. But it on a different circuit.
Printing takes just a few seconds. Why have a printer run for hours? |
noticeable |
| Turn off computer when not in use |
Well,
yeah. Like anything you do not use. Leave or turn it off. Even unplug
it because it may consume up to 50% of the energy if it is just plugged
in. |
noticeable |
| If you buy a monitor, buy one with an LCD screen. |
LCD
screens use much less electricity than a CRT monitor. CRT monitors are
especially inefficient when they are used in air conditioned
environments since the heat they generate needs to be balanced with an
increased A/C activity. Now you have two sources of pollution. |
noticeable |
| Talk person to person |
Use the phone when it is necessary to use, the conversation cannot wait, AND is worth the electricity and pollution. |
not enough |
| Research on web |
Like all shopping, driving from store to store requires much more energy than doing research on the web. |
significant |
| Don’t purchase from different stores online |
If
you order from several distributors you create more pollution because
several packages are going to be sent to you. If you order from one
store maybe only one shipment gets sent. You might save on shipping and
handling costs and save money overall, even if some items are less
expensive somewhere else. |
not enough |
| Purchase locally |
You
pollute less because you avoid the shipping of small parcels. You may
have to pay more, but large shipments to stores create less pollution
per item than getting them shipped directly to you. |
noticeable |
| Ask sales clerk about energy consumption of a product |
Asking
many questions will eventually result in the idea that low energy use
seems to be important. Sooner or later this will be conveyed to people
who make product design decisions. |
not enough |
| Plan your life with pencil and paper |
It
may not be easy, but doing it with pencil and paper pollutes much less
than with an electronic device that requires energy to run and much
more to be made. |
significant |
