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Posts with tag recycle

Recycling of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Neither Common Nor Easy Enough

Recycling of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Not Common or Easy EnoughMany of us have starting loading our homes with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) looking to go green, and save some green in the process. But there's a problem -- it turns out that compact fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, which means that the bulbs must be recycled properly and can't just be thrown out with the rest of the trash. Most cities, however, do not have recycling programs in place for them, or require that residents drive out to landfills to turn in the bulbs themselves. So the bulbs land in the garbage, completely undoing all of the intended good for the environment.

In some places, retailers are stepping in to fill the void in the recycling program, though the job may become too costly for all but the largest of chain store to offer the service as the need to recycle the bulbs increases.

A group at Brown University has suggested making special packaging which CFLs would be sold in, then packed back into and mailed in for recycling. The packaging would be cushioned against breakage and contain special mercury absorbent materials in case it did shatter.

There is no clear solution at the moment, but something must be done soon before CFLs become an environmental hazard. [source: AOL News]

Earth-Friendly Tech Tips

Environment: What can I do?
So you gave your buddy a high-five when 'An Inconvenient Truth' won some Oscars -- that's a good start. Too bad some of your favorite gadgets -- not to mention the TV you used to watch the Academy Awards -- use up a boatload of energy, even when you think they're turned off. That said, some technologies can actually help you save energy and use fewer natural resources. The convenient truth is that taking proactive steps towards living a greener life is easier than you think. Here are just a few.

Upgrade Your Lightbulbs

Don't be scared off by the high sticker prices of GE's fancy compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescents (25 percent less than halogen), last up to 10 times longer and cost between 50 and 80 percent less to use. Only candlelight is cheaper -- but that's a fire truck on your front lawn waiting to happen.

Get Cash and Credit for Your Old Gear

Get Cash and Credit for Your Old Gear
If you're anything like us, you've probably got a house or apartment filled with obsolete gadgets and computer gear. Pretty much your only options until now have been eBay or garbage. Dealing with customers on eBay can be difficult, and shipping large equipment is expensive and inconvenient, while throwing out some of your gadgets is not only wasteful, but may be illegal depending on what you're tossing.

According to CNN (which just published a nice roundup on what to do with your old gear), TechForward Inc. is trying to get American consumers used to the idea of temporary ownership. For a small fee -- $9 on an iPod at the time of purchase -- you'll be able to send your gear back to TechForward for cash. Granted, at $40 for a year-old iPod ($20 for 2 years, etc.), you could do better on eBay, but TechForward will provide you with packing materials and pay for shipping and handling. Plus, you don't have to worry about checking feedback or having strangers from CraigsList showing up at your place.

New Co. is also trying to get eco-friendly and breathe new life into old gear. The company runs the warranty programs for BestBuy and Wal-Mart, and will be launching ecoNew in those stores in the second quarter of this year. Unlike TechForward, New Co. charges no fee, and no shipping. Instead, you'll deliver your old equipment to a participating outlet and receive store credit for it, though estimated prices weren't available. Some of your dust-gathering gear may not be eligible for ecoNew however. Non-LCD monitors, printers, and cell phones are not eligible for either credit or New's free recycling program.

From CNN

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Most Cell Phones Still End Up In Landfills, Polluting the Environment

Yesterday, the New York Times Magazine ran a fairly comprehensive piece on the life cycle and environmental impact of mobile phones. The story detailed how many phones are reused, how many others are broken down and "mined" for useful metals such as silver and gold, and how still others – most others, in fact – end up in heaps of discarded electronics, left to leach often dangerous ingredients into the earth, water supply, kids' blood streams, etc.

Some businesses and watchdog groups are doing their darnedest to offset this problem, or at least delay the inevitable discarding of the dead phone, but the report overall is a sobering one.

The main point raised: Despite our love affair and attachment to our mobile phones, we still use, discard and then buy new ones at an alarming rate, with little regard for the environmental impact.

Such eco-carelessness isn't limited to mobile phones and e-waste is not a new issue to the consumer electronics industry. But while mobile phones are small compared to old CRT TVs and computer monitors, they are in use everywhere. In some African nations, where landlines are difficult to build and maintain, mobile phones are the only way for someone to have reliable communications.

As the reporter notes, "There is no heaven for cellphones."

From The New York Times.


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Say Goodbye to Dirty Dishes

Say Goodbye to Dirty Dishes

Some people believe Hell is a kitchen sink and a never-ending pile of dirty dishes, and for those people salvation lies at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That's where grad student Leonardo Bonanni has developed the DishMaker, a machine that creates dishware on demand, and will someday be able to recycle dirty dishes into the raw material needed to make new ones.

The machine is the latest development in a movement to bring rapid prototyping into the American home. In recent months, we've seen a machine that can print and bind any book in less than 15 minutes. We've also seen advances in affordable 3-D printers, which will someday be able to fabricate objects -- such as a toothbrush – much in the same way today's printers fabricate documents.

Bonanni's machine can create acrylic dishes, bowls and cups as the user needs them. What's different about the DishMaker is that it will someday be able to recycle dirty dishes into new ones. Not only would this eliminate a dreaded household chore, but it would also eliminate the need for most of your cabinets.

Yes, paper plates have afforded us this same convenience for many years now, and yes, if the DishMaker ever comes to market you can bet it'll cost an arm and a leg. But, sometimes you just need to ask yourself, W.W.A.G.D.? ("What Would Al Gore Do?")

From Gizmag

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Apple Getting Greener

Steve Jobs Apple

As we mentioned a few weeks ago in our round-up of the least earth-friendly technologies, Greenpeace has some issues with Apple. It seems it really digs the Apple design aesthetic but can't stand the associated pollution. It launched www.greenmyapple.org, a site dedicated to encouraging Apple to clean up its ways -- and CEO Steve Jobs is listening. In an entry on Apple's news site called "A Greener Apple" he outlines specific points and plans to deal with a variety of toxic chemicals used in Mac computer and iPod production.

For example, arsenic is often used to create glass used in LCD displays, but Steve pledges that Apple will switch completely to arsenic-free LCDs by 2008. He notes that Apple is already lead-free (thanks to switching to LCD displays from CRTs years ago) and plans to be PVC-free by the end of next year.

It seems, though, that Apple is making improvements only where it makes financial sense to do so. Mercury is also used in some LCD production, and Steve only pledges to switch to newer, lead-free LCD production for all Apple products "when technically and economically feasible." Additionally, while Apple will recycle any iPod you return to a Mac Store at no charge (even offering a 10% discount on a replacement), you have to buy new Apple products through their store to get the service.

So, will Greenpeace accept this move forward and go back to unconditionally loving the different computer manufacturer, or will it keep pushing Apple to address the shortcomings of its environmental plans? You can be sure Greenpeace will issue a response either way in the very near future.

From MacSlash

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Tech Tips for a Cleaner Earth


Each year on Earth Day, the shocking facts surrounding the poor health of our planet guilt many people into promising to take action. Unfortunately, once the bamboo noisemakers go silent and the organic-cake hangover wears off, those oaths to be greener suddenly aren't such a huge priority anymore, particularly when it involves shutting off some of our energy-hogging, toxic-ingredient-filled gadgets.

But living a more eco-friendly existence and keeping up with the latest technology is easier than most of us think. With that in mind, Switched presents this Earth Day 2007 package that's brimming with information, tips and advice. You'll learn which tech products are especially nice to Mother Nature, how to recycle your dead gadgets and some simple ways to use your technology to lower your personal impact on the environment.

Switched Earth Day Features:

Environment: What Can I Do?

Audit Yourself

Environment: What Can I Do? 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.

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Environment: What Can I Do?

Take Advantage of Tax Breaks

Environment: What Can I Do?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.

Environment: What Can I Do?

Go Easy on MySpace

Environment: What Can I Do? 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.

This fact actually lead to the creation of Blackle, an unofficial version of Google displayed on a globe-friendlier black background instead of Google's usual, energy-sucking white. It's estimated that if all of Google's users switched to Blackle, it would reduce worldwide energy use by 750 Megawatt-hours per year.

To see where your favorite color rates, check out Energy Star's color chart.

Environment: What Can I Do?

Service Your Car Regularly


Environment: What Can I Do?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.

Environment: What Can I Do?

Plug Intelligently

Environment: What Can I Do? 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).

How to Recycle Dead Gadgets

Everything Else


How to Recycle Dead GadgetsE-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.

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How to Recycle Dead Gadgets

Ink Cartridges


How to Recycle Dead GadgetsWhen 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.

How to Recycle Dead Gadgets

Batteries


How to Recycle Dead GadgetsHeavy 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.


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