Upgrade Your Old Computer

Being a bit of a computer geek, I love to upgrade my computer as much as possible before buying a new one. Not only is it satisfying to see a slow computer whizz along with some new RAM, it’s also much cheaper and avoids the tricky problem of disposing with the old computer.

There are plenty of other good reasons to upgrade your current computer. Some facts from the lovethe1yourewith campaign (how to upgrade your computer instead of buying a new one):
- The energy required to produce a new computer is enough to run a computer for 10 years
- The energy saved by extending the life of your computer by a year could run it for 2 years
- Help put a stop to the 220 million tons of e-Waste generated annually in the USA

The website has some easy videos to show you how to add more RAM, manage process, refresh your operating system and replace your laptop battery. Not for beginners but you should be able to find someone who can do it for you if you’re not comfortable. They have a nice fun video too (embedded below).

How Many PhoneBooks Do you Get?

Obviously with an ulterior motive in hand (but I don’t mind that), web directory 192.com urges us to abandon the traditional phone book and move online.

I won’t bore you with the details but in the UK legally every household has to receive a phone book free of charge. With more than one phone book being in circulation, households receive an average of 3 per year, and the 3 outdated ones add up to 750,000 tonnes of waste in the UK alone.

192.com have launched http://www.saynotophonebooks.com/ and even a Facebook group in order to encourage you to sign an e-petition to get the rules changed to an opt-in system for physical phone books.

Some more environmental facts about the phone books in the UK: Laid end to end they would stretch over half way around the world (22,500km); 680,000 barrels of oil wasted in phone book production (not including the wasted petrol used for their delivery to your doorstep); 2 billion litres of water is used in the production process (not to mention the amount of water wasted in the recycling process); and 437 million kilowatts of energy used in the production process.

Of course using a computer is sometimes easier than a phone book, it’s usually more comprehensive and up-to-date and with online mapping and directions often makes it easier too. However if the computer isn’t on, I still like to grab the nearest phone book. However, which one, as we currently have six! How many do you have? And do they allow you to recycle them in your area?

Green Detroit Auto Show Just For Show?

As I first mentioned in my opening post about the Detroit Auto Show, this show was greener than any before it. This is, however, in terms of the cars and technologies that were displayed, not the show itself.

Whilst any show uses a huge amount of energy (even green trade shows!), the Auto Show was no exception. Huge plasma screens, projector screens, light shows, and enormous lighting rigs (see below) made the energy consumption seem off the chart. If it’s true that one evening major sports game uses the same amount of energy as a house uses in 60 years, then this show must use more in a day than does a town in 60 years.

Not only that, which in some ways is always going to be a result of a Auto Show (or most other shows), but there were no recycling facilities anywhere. None. Not one to be seen anywhere I looked and asked. Coupled with the huge amount of printed press material that was handed out (and often thrown away) and the empty water bottles, there was a huge opportunity to do something as simple as collect recycling. I ended up taking things back to the hotel (where they did recycle) as it began to frustrate me so much.

Finally, Chrysler launched their new Dodge Ram by staging a cattle drive down the street outside the show. It was very impressive (though cold), until I realised the cattle had been flown in especially for the event. Well, at least their waste could be used by GM to make ethanol….

My next post will be about the efforts car companies are going to to appeal to environmentally aware customers and the alternative fuel vehicle market.

Cheaper Grey (Gray) Water Recycling

Previously we’ve talked about Greywater or Graywater and what it is and how to go about using to.

Garden watering bans are a fact of life these days, and not just in dry climes like much of Australia and the Western US, even Britain has it’s fair share too. But a new Australian invention can keep lawns and gardens green without using any extra household water.

The Water-Leech, which retails from AUD$200 is a breadbox-sized device with a universal hose attachment that hooks up to shower or sink drains. Instead of letting grey (gray) water escape down the drain, a pump in the unit draws it into a self-contained storage tank. The pump is powered by a rechargeable battery instead of a wall plug to prevent any possibility of electric shock while it’s in operation. When the Water-Leech tank is full, owners simply wheel the unit outside to water their plants. (Providing biodegradable soaps and detergents are used, water from showers, baths, laundry, sinks and dishwashers is completely reusable.)

Water-Leech inventor Paul O’Callaghan believes his product fills a vital need at a time when environmental experts point with alarm at fast diminishing global water supplies. Though attractively styled and relatively compact, the Water-Leech still might seem a cumbersome way to reclaim water. But competing systems used to collect grey (gray) water must be retrofitted into a home’s plumbing, a task which could cost thousands.

Of course, even in areas without restrictions, the unit’s ability to reuse water can help it pay for itself. O’Callaghan says the average households can conserve 35,000 liters annually, which adds up to a nice way to keep gardens green and help conserve precious drinking water.

[Via: Springwise]