Wednesday 8 December 2010

Green living for busy computer nerds

Check out my list of tips for green living especially suited for those of you who spend most of your time in front of a computer. The list will not require you to make big changes in your life or invest in new expensive stuff.
  • Use both sides of paper when taking notes or when printing from your computer. Most printers have a double sided print option.
  • Buy clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool or silk.
  • Turn down the brightness of your monitor.
  • Don't buy high tech fancy clothes made for sub freezing temperatures unless you are going to the North Pole. These clothes require both non eco materials and non eco production methods.
  • Read your PDF-document on the computer, tablet/iPad instead of printing all 200 pages.
  • Have a personal mug at work. Don't use dispensable paper or plastic cups.
  • Don't throw a way clothes and other stuff. Give them away.
  • When buying stuff, choose the one product that comes in the least amount of plastic packaging.
  • Switch your computer all of when you go away for days.
  • Line dry your clothes rather than using an drying machine.
  • Unplug the cell phone battery charger when you're not charging.
  • Turn of the lights in the rooms you are not in.
  • Put the computer in standby when you leave.
  • If you use a screen saver use a blank all black background.
  • Stop buying stuff you don't really need. To help the economy buy services rather than physical products.
  • Don't leave the tap water running while brushing your teeth.
  • Before you decide to buy a new computer make sure you have tuned and cleaned up your computer making it as fast as it can be.
  • Skip rinsing your plates before putting them in the dishwasher.
  • Turn off all the light when you leave the apartment or your work.
  • You don't need to switch to a new cell phone every 3 months?
  • Have power saving enabled on your computer.
  • Lower your winter heating and put on some more clothes instead.
  • Get more energy efficient light bulbs.
  • Use less water when taking a shower.
  • Walk or take the bicycle rather than the car if you can.
  • Buy used, second hand stuff.
  • Bulk purchases.
  • Travel less. Use the telephone or online meeting and conference services.
  • Reduce junk postal mail.
  • Buy locally grown food that has not been shipped from the other side of the world.
  • Don't throw away old cell phones and other electronics in the trash can.
  • Share stuff instead of buying the same stuff as you friends or neighbour.
  • Buy fewer products for Christmas and birthdays; instead buy services/adventures/experiences.
  • Cook food with a lid on the casserole.
  • Switch from black on white text to white on black text on your monitor if you can change the desktop, your application colours. This can save up to 25% electricity usage.
  • Put on some more clothes at home instead of heating the apartment.
  • Choose online services that have green data centres.
  • For your next computer, consider a laptop instead of desktop. A laptop uses much less electricity.
  • Buy recycled paper for anything from toilet paper to printer paper.
  • Do you really need a big house and a big car?
  • Write notes on your phone, tablet etc. we're consuming billions of disposable pens each year.
  • Don't pre-heat the oven. Turn the oven on after you put in the dish.
  • Before buying a new computer, consider upgrading the hardware.
  • Make less noise. With less noise others around you can think more clearly. More clear thinking means more effective work. More effective works means less energy needed to do the same work.
  • Download e-books rather than ordering books from Amazon that has to be shipped.
  • Make better plans before going somewhere so there is less detours.
  • Use matches instead of lighters.
  • Have fewer coins. Having a lot of coins prevents them from being circulated and this result in more coins having to be minted. Producing coins takes a lot of energy.
  • Buy less bottle water/soda, or at least buy a local brand.