Audio/Video, Car Tech, Cell Phones, Computers, Advice, Green Tech
Audio/Video, Car Tech, Cell Phones, Computers, Advice, Top Lists
To see just how much of your act you need to clean up, give yourself an energy audit. Most utility providers will audit your home's power usage for free, but devices like the Energy Detective allow you to monitor your home's energy expenses in real-time, providing your with second-by-cent-burning-second utility estimates.
It's a shame Earth Day comes right after you've spent days plotting ways to write-off your Netflix expenditures. Had you known earlier, you could have gotten Uncle Sam to reach further into his pockets for 2006, the first year the Energy Policy Act tax-incentives were made available. Designed to bring about eco-friendliness through bribery, the new policy offers as much as $12,000 for buying certain cars, such as hybrids or "less-burn" diesel vehicles. Renovations for such items as energy-saving insulation, central air conditioners and solar water heating are also credit-worthy.
A word of caution for overzealous MySpace designers who lean a little too heavily on the fuchsia-and-yellow: The display of certain colors requires more power out of computer monitors than others, with light colors using up to 20 percent more wattage than darker colors. 
Consider the machine you're currently staring into. When that screensaver pops up or your computer goes into standby mode, it still eats energy. The same goes for other electronics that don't really turn off when you think they're off. What do you think powers the clock on your microwave -- sorcery? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, three-fourths of the electricity your home uses (and that you pay for) is spent keeping your gear in standby or sleep mode. The Smart Strip LCG5 power strip ($32.95), however, allows you to choose which products need to stay in standby mode (a cable-box or DVR), and which get the juice cut off completely (your TV).
E-Cycling Central offers a state-by-state rundown of the various recycling centers that accept a variety of electronics. If leaving your front door isn't an option, services such as GreenDisk will accept most anything computer-related you send them and they will recycle or refurbish it -- guaranteeing your data will be wiped clean and erased entirely.
When ink cartridges run out, the actual cartridges still work fine. That's why recycling them is not only important for landfill's sake, but profitable for wallet's sake. Emptysolution.com will buy your ink, laser and toner cartridges off of you, which the company refills and then resells as "remanufactured." Save them in bulk and they'll even send you a prepaid packaging label.
Heavy metal? Good. Toxic heavy metal? Bad. Unfortunately, batteries have too much of the latter. Dropping off the little guys (as well as larger, recyclable phone and laptop batteries) is as easy as visiting earth911.org or rbrc.org/call2recycle and finding a collection site nearest you. In fact, as of last December, recycling those larger ones has been the law in New York.
As with computers, most cell phone providers will take back your phone when you're done with it, with varying degrees of reward, incentive and privacy-invasion (find the collection program closest to you here). Those that aren't refurbished are pilfered for their metal and plastics for use in other products -- everything from circuit boards to kitchen cabinetry -- which keeps those materials out of the landfill.
Most of the major computer manufacturers offer a recycling program for their own systems -- as well as their competitor's systems -- through their websites. At ComputerTakeBack.com, you can see each spelled-out plan alongside any sweet trade-in incentives that the manufacturers (and even some retailers) are offering. Just be sure to visit the magnet factory to thoroughly erase your drive, though.
Greenpeace has repeatedly taken issue with Apple, which the environmental agency claims is far behind other computer manufacturers when it comes to recycling programs and the removal of certain toxic substances from its products. Though Greenpeace concedes that Apple has recently stepped up its environmental commitment in the U.S., there's plenty more the company can be doing throughout the rest of the world, the organization says.
When you're on the same list as Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz, you must be doing something right. Unfortunately for Audi, that list is the U.S. Department of Energy's round-up of the "Least Fuel Efficient Cars." Sure, the Lamborghini Murcielago clocks in at a shameful 9 mpg as compared to the Audi S4 Avant's 15 mpg -- but it's a Lamborghini! There's only a handful of Murcielago owners in the U.S., and who can afford one anyway? Back in the real world, the Avant makes our list for taking top fuel-inefficiency honors in the "Small Station Wagon" category. After all, station wagons meant to be sensible. In fact, that's the only reason people subject themselves to driving them.
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9.0 out of 10
Definitive Technology BPX
Works great with Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital. Full Review
9.0 out of 10
Denon AVR-4306 (black)
Incredibly well-featured 7.1-channel receiver; excellent sound quality; three HDMI inputs; converts analog video to HDMI output; upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution; iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity; Internet radio and MP3/WMA streaming audio via built-in Ethernet port; XM Satellite Radio compatible; touch-screen remote; multizone, multisource operation; browser-based control via home network; accurate autocalibration routine. Full Review
8.8 out of 10
KEF KHT3005 (black)
The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review
8.7 out of 10
SignalBoost Mobile Professional Amplifier Kit
The Mobile Professional Amplifier delivers a powerful signal boost to your cell phone. Also, it offers a compact design and easy setup. Full Review
8.6 out of 10
Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal extender
The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone. Full Review
8.3 out of 10
LG VX6000 (Verizon Wireless)
Compact and stylish; impressive battery life; solid audio quality; sharp color screen; built-in camera; USB ready; affordable. Full Review
9.3 out of 10
Canon EOS 1D Mark III
Extremely fast, 10-megapixel continuous shooting; very low noise; highly customizable; well-designed body with weather sealing; 3-inch LCD; abundant optional accessories. Full Review
9.3 out of 10
Nikon D3 (body only)
Full-frame sensor; well designed, pro-level weather-sealed body; very low noise, even at extremely high ISOs; fast. Full Review
9.0 out of 10
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Very low noise, high quality images; 21.1 megapixels; live view shooting; pro-level build-quality and performance. Full Review
8.9 out of 10
Velocity Micro Edge Z30 (Intel Core i7)
Best value among midrange gaming PCs; Velocity Micro's consistently high build quality; compact case makes few sacrifices; second graphics card slot previously uncommon at this price. Full Review
8.5 out of 10
Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
A minor specification update results in some significant performance gains; graphics upgrade an option on this 24-inch model; sleek, polished design didn't receive an update, but we won't start clamoring for a new design until the current one is at least 12 months old. Full Review
8.4 out of 10
Velocity Raptor Signature Edition Gaming PC
One of the fastest PCs we've tested; a PCI Express RAID card helps media encoding performance; typically immaculate Velocity Micro assembly; strong, three-year warranty. Full Review
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Keep on top of your heap! Regular tune-ups and properly inflated tires can help improve gas mileage. Aside from the obvious financial benefits, even the slightest mileage improvements help decrease the amount of carbon dioxide your ride coughs up.
